Relative BlissGenealogy of Julie Ann Bliss Hammons |
 |
|
            |
Allen Joseph Stout Journal |
|
1861-1871 [Prophecy to his Children] The son of Joseph Stout, the son of Samuel Stout, the son of Peter Stout, was born in the county of Mercer and State of Kentucky, on the 5th day of December A. D. 1815. My mother’s name was Anna, the daughter of Daniel and Pleasant Smith. My grandmother Stout’s name was Rachel Chauncey before she married. In the first settling at New Jersey there were three young men by the name of Stout who come from Germany - two of which were killed by the Indians, and the other one married a woman who had been scalped and tomahawked and left among the dead, and from thence came all the numerous hosts of Stouts now in the United States. My father, being a poor man, maintained his mainly by tending a grist mill. in the fall of 1819 he removed to Clinton County, Ohio, and there maintained his family partly by farming and partly by days work. in the summer of 1823, my father sent me to Rebecca Stout, a cousin of mine, 20 days. This, with the former exertions of my mother, enabled me to begin to read. In the summer of 1823, my youngest sister Elizabeth Mahala died of measles; I also had the same complaint, and about the same year I had the French measles of chicken pox, and the mumps, and then whooping cough. On the 29th day of July, 1824, my mother died of the consumption after a long confinement and much suffering. She left a family of eight children whose names were: Rebecca, Sarah, Mary, Margaret, Anna, Hosea, Allen J. and Lydia R. About this time I went to a school a few days more to a man by the name of George Carter who was an old Quaker Friend. I boarded at Uncle Isaac Stout’s while going to school. After the death of my mother, my father broke up housekeeping and I lived awhile with a man by the name of Ephriam Done. My sister Margaret had married a man who called himself William McStout,, an infamous rascal. In the fall of 1824, my father, sisters Mary, Anna, Lydia, and myself removed to Cincinnati and stayed there a few weeks and then went on to the falls of the Ohio River and spent the winter. Soon after we got here my sister Mary was married to a man whose name was Nicholas Jamestown - another most abandoned wretch. During this winter I lived some of the time with a man by the name of George Ditchlers [sic] and some with George Colliers and with Major Newel. Mr. Collier’s folks were hard to please, but they were nice cleanly folks and tried to teach me good manners, but Ditchlers were right the reverse. In the spring of 1825, my father, Anna and I went on board of a keel boat which was bound for Little Rock in the State of Arkansas. One day as we were floating down the Ohio River, the wind was so high it sunk some corn and oats, and I saw the skiff bounding over the high waves. I thought it was a find place to ride, so I got in, but the violence of the wind broke the cable, and away the skiff went up, up stream with the wind, and had it not been for an old sailor who swam out from the boat by what is called the rocky Cave ( I went some ways into it) and brought me back, I should have been drowned. We passed by what is call the Rocky Cave. I went out to see it for it is a curious place. My father fell out with the captain of the boat and we went ashore at a town called New America. From thence we traveled on foot across the lower part of the State of Illinois until we came to the Mississippi River, near Cape La Croix, where my father left Anna and me, and he went on to Washington County, Missouri. About fall he returned and we all three went to Uncle Ephriam Stout’s who lived in Washington County, Missouri. it was there I for the first time saw my old Grandmother Stout. Soon after we came here, Anna and I were both taken with the fever and ague and I had it three months. We again set out with Uncle Ephriam and went to Tazewell County, Illinois, Soon after we got there, I went and lived with a man by the name of Nathan Dillon . I stayed here nearly two years during which time father went back up to Galena, and St. Peter’s, and then to Ohio. In the year 1827, I being an orphan child (this year sister Mary died January 5, 1827), and had to do the best I could, went and lived with a man by the name of Martin Meyers. I was a very weakly child, but this man used to abuse me by whipping me for things which I could not help, so I resolved in my mind to be avenged on him as soon as I was able. I went to school 20 days while I lived with Meyers. in the summer of 1829, Hosea and Margaret came out from Ohio, and I left Meyers and went up to Stout’s Grove. Sister Margaret had come here and by this time her husband had left her, and she was sick of the consumption. she died February 28, 1829. I went to school to Jesse Stout 20 days. I now lived with Ephriam Stout, Jr. during the winter Uncle Ephriam Stout entered a complaint in the county court and had me bound out. He was a Commissioner, but I was 14 years old, so I chose James Watson to be my master. During the summer of 1830, I went to school and learned to spell and read, for I had forgotten almost all I had ever learned. The man’s name was Archibald Johnson. About this time sister Rebecca, who still lived in Mercer County, Kentucky died of the consumption. This fall my father and sister Lydia came out form Ohio and my father, being angry at Uncle Ephriam, took me from Watson and I lived awhile with Matthew Roberts who was a fine clever man. I then went to Little Mackinaw, where father had an improvement, and sisters Sarah, Lydia, and myself kept house a few months. I then lived a few months at John Stout’s, another cousin of mine. I then lived a little while with one Henry Buckner. I then went back to Dillon’s settlement and lived a few weeks with Jonathan Hodgson. In the month of June, 1831, my father and I started to go to Texas. We took water on the Big Mackinaw River in a canoe and went out of that river into the Illinois River. We stopped at Naples, Mendota, and Beardstown and worked to get means to go on, when we passed Alton on the Mississippi River. The state prison was underway, the walls were from one to ten feet high. I took the ague and fever on the river and when we came to St. Louis, Missouri, I was so low that I could scarcely walk. We went on down to a little town called Hardinville [sic], 25 or 30 miles below St. Louis, and there caught some fish and sold them. we also sold our canoe and then got into a wagon driven by a Negro slave, and went out as far as the lead mines. This Negro stole my father’s tray trowel which was a great loss to him, for he made his living chiefly by making head trays. We set out on foot from the mines to go to Uncle Isaac Stout’s a distance of 25 miles, and then I was so weak that I could not walk more than 50 yards at a time, but I gained fast so that in a week we got the 25 miles, and the last day I walked 8 miles. We passed through Caledonia the seat of Washington County. A doctor told father I was mortifying within, and if I did not have medical aid, I would die, but he was an enemy to doctors and would not let him doctor me. Then he offered to do it for nothing. I now had a three month spell of the ague and fever, but was able to go to school some of the time. I lived awhile with John Rounds whose wife was a cousin of mine, and then awhile with Jacob Allot, whose wife was also my cousin. In the spring of 1832, John Rounds removed to St. Francis River in Wane County, Missouri, five miles from Greenville on the Tollman Smith farm. Father and I again set out for Texas on foot. We took the main military road which led to Little Rock, the Territory of Arkansas. Father’s sore leg got so bad that he could not travel so we put up with a man whose name was William Holt, an old acquaintance of father’s We stayed there two months during which time my father’s leg mortified, but he boiled verbenas leaves and applied to it, which stopped the mortification. We then pursued our journey on to Hempstead County, which lies on Big Red River. We were now out of both money and clothes, so we began to take jobs of both clearing and fencing land until we got us a few head of cows and hogs. We then made an improvement and went to keeping bachelor’s hall. We were now within seven miles of the Texas line, but on account of the war which had commenced between the Texans and Mexicans, father being quite old, declined going any farther. This was a good place to raise cotton, sweet potatoes, corn, oats, etc., but it was very sickly, especially for a northern man. We raised a crop on the improvement which we made and then we quit keeping bachelor’s hall and rented out the cleared land to one Benjamin Conover and hired out to work by the month. In the year 1824 [1834], a rich man by the name of William Beasley, entered our improvement, notwithstanding we held a preemption right, but we could not get the money to reenter it, so we referred the matter and were allowed $60.00 for our improvement. In the fall of 1835, I went to work in a cotton gin and worked all winter for a man by the name of Robert Morrow, a noted bachelor who owned a number of slaves. In the summer of 1836, I worked out by the month on a farm, and in the fall and winter in a cotton gin. About that time I was at a camp meeting and tried to get religion but I couldn’t make it go off like the Methodists and Presbyterians did, so I gave up trying anymore. There was an old man by the name of Thomas Graham who prophesied that I would make a preacher, but soon after he found that I played cards, so he was discouraged about me. February 2, 1837, father and I set out on foot for Illinois. We had beefed all our cattle and turned them into cash. We traveled on through Clark County but we found we were too heavily loaded with clothing and trumpery, so we sold off the greatest part of it. We passed by the hot Springs on the Washita River. There are about 32 springs issuing from a mountain which is covered with cedar timber, some of them are as hot as water can be made by fire, others lukewarm, and some as cold as any spring I ever saw. These hot springs will turn clay into stone in a few weeks. There are all manner of diseased persons here from all arts of the United States. They come to get their health. We traveled on to Little Rock, the Capital of the State, and there fell on company with William Royal, who married a girl by the name of Baker, a cousin of ours. As we rode in their wagon, father got his toes frosted. It was an uncommon cold day for that country. We went 40 miles with him, and stayed at this home ten days until father’s toes finally got well. while he laid there, I went with William Baker, who married one Rebecca Stout, a cousin of mine. As we returned, I steered my way through the woods and got lost and laid out all night. I saw scores of deer and we killed one before we separated, each one to take a different route home. I got in about nine o’clock a.m. and found a wedding was underway, so we had a high time the rest of the day. We again pursued our journey to Washington County, Missouri and stayed at Uncle Jacob Stout’s one month. I worked for cousin Ephriam. He was a Baptist preacher. On the 4th day of May [1837] we again set out for Illinois. We stayed one night at Selina on the Mississippi River, where we saw a show town burn down. The next morning we crossed the river and set out up the American Bottom. We traveled up to Alton and there got a steamboat bound for Peoria. As I got on the boat a man by the name of Smith asked me if my name was Stout. I said yes. He said he knew me by Lydia. I asked him if he was acquainted with my folks. He said he was and that Anna had married a Mormon. I asked him what that was, for I never before remembered having heard the name of Mormon spoken. He said it was a religious denomination of folks. I asked if they believed the Bible. He said they pretended to but any man who understood the scriptures could confound them in a moment. We set off and soon landed in Wesley City, where I found my folks well. Benjamin Jones who had married my sister Anna kept a boarding house, and he and Hosea were at carpenter work with them, and at evenings I read the book of Doctrine and Covenants. I could not get hold of a Book of Mormon. I went to a number of Sunday prayers meetings, but still the most satisfaction I could get was what Hosea would tell me, for he was well acquainted with the gospel as he is now, but had not obeyed it yet. Soon after we got here Lyman Wight, Charles C. Rich and Morris Phelps came on the from Missouri and held a meeting, so we all went to hear, and I was well pleased, and so was father, but to my great astonishment, some were very mad and said they did not teach the scriptures, but I knew better for I was well acquainted with the Bible. On the 5th of July, 1837, father and I set out for Caldwell County, Missouri, in company with Anna and Jones family, and what was called the Rich branch of the Church C. [Charles} C. Rich was our leader. Hosea, Benjamin and Lydia stayed behind to finish some jobs and settle some business, and then came on by water. we crossed the Mississippi at Quincy and traveled through Palmyra, Huntsville, Keetsville [sic], and Carlton. We got to our journey’s end about the 6th of August. My business on the road was to drive sheep and help Anna about the camping business. When we stopped, Ben’s boys and I tried to cut hay, but they were too small and I was so sick and weakly that I could not do any good at it. The weather was very rainy and we had no house to shelter in, but I tried to borrow rails from one John Cooper to make a pen to shelter in, but he refused, and afterwards let them lay and rot. I was now out of money and in a strange place. But on getting out of tobacco and coffee, I went to George M. Hinkle’s store and tried to get trusted until Hosea came on, but he would not credit me although he had agreed to do so. This made me mad, and if I had had money enough, I should have returned to the south, but fortunate for me, my money was gone. Hosea and Ben soon came on and Hosea had a good bag of cash, so he entered 200 acres of good land, and we went to work and built a house on it, and Lydia kept house for us. Father stayed sometimes at Hosea’s and sometimes at Jones’. This fall and winter I was afflicted with a breast complaint- fever sores and a breaking out on my body so I was unable to work at all. my mind was also greatly troubled, for I had become satisfied of the truth of the gospel and wished to embrace it, but still lingered back and had not courage to go forward and be baptized until on the 22nd of April, 1838, I and Thomas Rich were baptized by the hand of Charles C. Rich. It seemed to em [sic] that I could almost walk and not touch the ground. I was baptized in Lost Creek, five miles south of Far West. Soon after that I had the elders to anoint me and I was healed of both my breast complaint and fever sores, after the bone had been naked all winter on my let, etc. I had breaking out on my body in consequence of change climate and water, which was also healed. Hosea and I then rented 15 acres of ground and planted it in corn, pumpkins, melons, etc. Hosea had some of his own land in cultivation. We spent this summer in tending to our business until crops were laid by, but about that time the Johnson’s, Whitmer’s and some other apostates began to go off and swear everything they could against Joseph Smith, and all the heads of the Church. They swore to some lies and some truths which were calculated to excite the Gentiles against us insomuch that mobs began to rise and commit depredations until we were forced to resort to arms in order to save ourselves and property. The Church was organized under captains tens, fifties, one hundreds, and one thousands. This made the inhabitants mad to see us making ready to defend ourselves. They called our organization the Danite [sic] band. I belonged to the third fifty led by Reynolds Cahoon [sic]. On the 4th of July [1838], Sidney Rigdon [sic] delivered his declaration of independence , which enraged the mob worse than ever, so that by fall the whole country was under arms. Benjamin Jones took a job of building a warehouse for Mr. Pomeroy, and I went and cooked for his hands one month, but the excitement got so high that some of the inhabitants of Richmond came down to where we were at work to whip us. There came eight men down to whip three of us, and when they came, I was off from our camp on business, and old man Knapp got drunk as soon as they came, so Brother Jones was all alone, and as soon as they made their business know, Jones pulled up a stake out of the ground and bid them come on, but none of them dared to touch him. As soon as I came Jones told me what had happened. Now, we had our wagon loaded up ready to go home, but we stayed until near night just to let them see that we were not afraid of them. in the afternoon, as we went home, one of them waylaid us to shoot us, but the sheriff found it out and made him come away before we came on. We went into Richmond and I went to a store to get a wedding dress for my sister Lydia, and the mob was there threatening me on every side, but I did not notice them. We then went on two miles and stayed all night. The next morning we set out for home and got there about three o’clock p.m. and that night there was a call made for men to go and retake some prisoners from Captain Bogart, so Jones and Hosea went, but I had no arms nor saddle, so I could not go, but next morning I heard that the brethren had had a fight with Bogart and retook the prisoners, but David W. Patten, Gideon Carter, and Patterson [Patrick?] O’Banion were slain in the fight. I helped to tend on Patten while he was dying. The Church in that settlement all went into Far West that day because Sampson Avard told them that the mob would be upon them by night and kill them, but the mob fled as fast the other way, and one John Estes, went to Richmond and swore that the Mormons had fallen on Captain Bogart and killed all of his men, but him, and that they ravaging the country, upon which testimony the governor issued his extermination orders. Soon after this, general Lucas came and surrounded Far West, and the Saints surrendered their arms to him because he was sent by the governor, and soon General Clark came with an army of 1500 men and took charge of the city and got the names of as many as the apostates would give him. These apostates would hand in the names of such as they had malice against. Now these dissenters had sold the leaders of the Church into the hands of General Lucas when he first surrounded the city, And Lucan had a court martial held composed of officers, priests and privates, and the prisoners were all tried in a lump and all sentenced to be shot the next day on the temple foundation. This was all done without the knowledge of the prisoners, or any testimony on their part. And when they were notified of their doom, Lyman Wight said he would believe it when he saw it. And Joseph Smith said, ”Be of good cheer, for not a hair of our heads will be hurt.” But it happened that General Doniphan revolted from Lucan and told him that neither he nor his men should have nothing to do in such cold-blooded murder, and that put a stop to the matter for the present, and the prisoners were taken up to Jackson County. [Surrender at Far West] Now, it so happened, that I was one who was reported to General Clark, and when he had gotten all the names he could get, he called the Saints out on the temple block and had Colonel Hinkle to form them in a hollow square with his main arms around them and he and his field officers in the center, so he began to call the names of those the apostates had given in. And when he (General Clark) had caused them all to advance two paces forward and form a separate line, he informed the rest of the Saints that they could have the privilege of going to their families, but those whom he had selected should be made an example of. He also made a speech to the Saints which is recorded in the Times & Seasons printed in Nauvoo. There were about 60 of us who were to be made an example of, so we were marched to Hinkles’ store house and kept under guard all night, and the next day we were started for Richmond in Ray County. we got as far as Long Creek and were stopped for the night. The encampment was made by Clark’s main army forming a circle of about ten acres and the special guards another circle made, and the prisoners in the center. We had some corn which was ground on a horse mill and so course that a man could not get one bit without a whole grain and nothing but dirty shingles to spread it on to take it before the first, and a piece of beef to roast was our support. Then we scraped away the snow and lay down to rest until morning. We then had the same kind of a breakfast and then were marched on our way to the place of our destination. This day I was so afflicted with the rheumatism in my hips that I could scarcely walk, but we were taken within two miles of Richmond and camped as before, and had the same kind of fare at night. But the next morning we had nothing for breakfast, and were taken to Richmond and put in the court house and were promised a good warm meal at the tavern, but it was not given. So about ten o’clock at night they brought some of the chopped corn and a small skillet but the prisoners were nearly all asleep, so I went to work and baked bread all night. So I had one-fourth of a pone for each of us by day, but I did not taste of any until the rest awoke and got theirs. Also, now we were provided with a sieve after this so that our bread was much more agreeable, and soon we had a large pot given to us to cook our beef in when we had any. Now, I was kept here in this prison for three weeks during which time the mob was ransacking all the country over to get witnesses to swear against the prisoners. Among the worst of the apostates who swore falsely against the prisoners were John Corrill, Reed Peck, John Clemenson, W. W. Phelps, Sampson Avard, and George M. Hinkle. Their most dire antipathy was aimed against Joseph and the rest of the heads of the Church, but they implicated many of the prisoners swearing they were guilty of treason, and almost every other name known to the law. After three weeks of examination, the testimony was all received and read over and those of the prisoners who were not implicated in any way were set at liberty. The only crime that was proved against me was that of being a Danite, which was sworn to by Sampson Avard, but as they could find no law on the case, I was set at liberty and returned home. During my imprisonment, my fever sores were not attended to and my leg was nearly rotten so as to render me almost helpless. I got my leg hurt again and got home to my sister Anna’s home about ten o’clock at night, but Brother Jones, her husband, was yet in prison and did not get out for a week longer. I then began to try to raise means to send my brother Hosea’s wife to him, for he had escaped the mob by going up north through a wilderness country and go to Illinois with about 40 others. I sold our crop of corn for 75 cents per barrel and got $20 which enabled Sumantha to get to Quincy, Illinois where she found Hosea. I then began to try to get father and myself away for we were all forced to leave the state by the next spring. I was on my return from Richmond, landing with a span of mares and wagon, belonging to B. Jones and on the wide prairie I saw a man walking behind me. I reined in the team to let him overtake me, and who should it be but Orson Hyde, who had apostatized in the funs, but had seen a vision in which it was made known to him that if he did not make immediate restitution to the Quorum of the Twelve, he would be cut off and all his posterity, and that the curse of Cain would be upon him. I invited him to ride with me, which he was very thankful for as he was very much fatigued. I also divided my morsel of bread with him, but I was not much in love with apostates so soon after my exit from prison. But I saw that Brother Hyde was on the stool of repentance, and he did repent good and got back to his place in the Twelve. Then I took Jones’ team and joined with Brother Judd who had a yoke of oxen and a wagon, and took part of Judd’s family and my father, and went to Quincy, Illinois. I found my brother living near that city and left father there and took a team that belonged to the committee who was helping the poor out of Missouri and returned back to Far West. I there gave the team up to the committee and went on foot to clay County to see if I could help of Father Knight out. Now it had gotten to be spring and there were exceeding heavy rains, and the Saints were forced out by the mob, and women and children were dragging through the mud and water, which was the cause of many lives being lost. I found Father Joseph Knight tending East Mill. I went to work to try to find a man who would buy his land. After two weeks’ hunt I found one who gave $30 for 40 acres of good land so the old man took his family consisting of a wife and two children and three step-children, and we took a boat to Independence landing and went to St. Louis, and from thence to Quincy. Then I went out 14 miles to a little town called Rayson [sic] and worked with my brother at carpentry and other work until the 5th of July, 1839, when Hosea, Thomas Rich and myself started for commerce, afterwards called Nauvoo, and came here and stayed a few days and then went over the Mississippi River into Iowa, and then began to improve a place. And Hosea and Thomas returned to Rayson while I stayed and worked on the house, but my health was so poor that I could do but little now. Father and sister Sarah who had lately come from Ohio, left and went towards Missouri, but Sarah died 25 miles below Quincy of ‘consumption and father went on to Uncle Jacob Stout’s in Missouri and died there, also of consumption. He was about 73 years of age, and of 12 children, only four were left alive. During the remainder of the summer, I worked at building a house for us to live in. I also made some rails to get me some clothing I attended the general conference on the 6th day of October, 1839, in Nauvoo at which time I was ordained an Elder under the hands of Alpheus Cutler. On the 29th of November, Sumantha [sic], my brother’s wife died. I then went back to Caldwell County, Missouri and made a visit to see my sister Lydia and then returned to Iowa and spent the winter at work, sometimes making rails and some of the time building houses. In the spring of 1840 we all moved over to Nauvoo, and I got my license as an Elder, bearing the date of April 20, 1840, which I now have in Hyrum Smith’s own handwriting, which I intended to always try and preserve. Soon after this, I set out on foot towards the south with the intent to try to preach the gospel, young and unlearned as I was, but I had never spoken in public in my life. When I got to Louisiana [Missouri], 40 miles below Quincy, I went to the Captain of a steamboat, and told him I wanted to get a passage on his boat but had no money. I also told him my business. He said I was very young to be on such an important mission but he granted my request, so I rode on his boat to Herculaneum, 25 or 30 miles below St. Louis, and then went on foot to Washington County, Missouri, where Uncle Jacob Stout and family lived. I there gave out an appointment to preach in Mr. Buford’s school house. At the appointed hour, I arose and opened by prayer and then spoke on the first principles of the gospel for about three-quarters of an hour. I was somewhat embarrassed not being used to speaking in public, but I did call on the Lord for strength and wisdom to enable me to perform my duty with an eye single to his glory. I then gave leave for remarks, but none was made, so I gave out an appointment ten miles up the river at the widow McNeil’s house, whose wife was my cousin, made some remarks. He was a Methodist class leader. I then went 50 miles further south to John Rounds, who also married my cousin, and there preached five times in Randolph and Lawrence Counties. I then went on to Batesville, where I was threatened to be hanged and burned by an old doctor, but the landlord of the tavern made him stop his noise. So I went on to White County and held a meeting at Thomas Raya’s [sic] then went ten miles to Gabriel Baker’s whose wife was a Stout. I there preached once and then went on to the city of Little Rock and gave out an appointment to preach in the city hall, at early candlelight, but as soon as I arose about 40 or 50 men arose on their feet and began to ask impertinent questions and then began to stamp on the floor and swear. I tried to call the house to order three times and this only made them worse. So I started down stairs and one man said to me, “If you are not out of this city by sunrise, you will ride out on a rail.” I told him that I have never yet rode in that manner, nor I was not afraid of having to do it. I then returned to the hotel where I had stopped, and several of the citizens came to me and asked me if I would preach if they would call out the police and keep order. I said I would. So they deliberated on the matter, but finally said that they would have to kill some of those ruffians to keep order. So they gave it up, but they were anxious to hear a Mormon preach. I then returned to White County to Baker’s and he gave me a chance to go to school free of cost. So I stopped awhile and still preached in that and adjoining settlements until fall, but the school did not get underway, so I returned to Nauvoo to the fall conference on the 6th of October, 1840. I stayed in Nauvoo until about the 20th of November [1840] and then set out on foot through the swamps towards Little Rock. The first day I traveled 14 miles and stayed all night and in the morning, the man of the house would not let me go until he had searched me and my valise for money, though I told him I had none in the evening before. I then went on and had to wade through mud and water and some ice until I came to Gabriel Baker’s in White County, Arkansas. I there found a trail on hand before Baker and another Esquire. They were trying Henry Stacey for the crime of murder, which was not uncommon in that country. I stayed there through the winter and went to school some of the time, worked some and preached the gospel in several of the adjoining settlements. I baptized Lewis Kirtpatrick while I was there. And on or about the 4th of July, 1841, I got a letter from my brother Hosea in Nauvoo stating that the mob was about the act of kidnapping Joseph and taking him to Missouri. So I wrote a letter and put my elder’s license in it and directed it to Nauvoo, then left my books and journals at Brother Kirtpatrick’s and set out on foot for home. I passed through Missouri to St. Genevive in a week, then took steam passage and got to Nauvoo in ten days from the time I left Kirtpatrick’s a distance of 500 or 600 miles and walked half of the way. On getting home, I found that Brother Joseph had gotten a habeas corpus and was set a liberty. I then went with Brother John S. Higbee down to St. Louis on a fishing spree. We fished with seine, and took them to St. Louis and so I got myself some clothes. Then I returned to Nauvoo and worked awhile at tending a shingle machine and soon after I went to work at a carpenter and joiner work. On the 20th day of October, 1842, I received a commission as third lieutenant in a company of the Nauvoo Legion. This same year I was initiated, passed and raised to the various degrees of masonry. I took great delight in this order of things insomuch that I improved every opportunity to learn the lectures and all the principles pertaining to that ancient and honorable order. This fall I had a severe spell of sickness and as soon as I was able to do anything I began to drive a span of horses belonging to Miles Anderson. I stayed at his house all winter until the 1st of April, 1843, during which time I became acquainted with his oldest daughter Elizabeth. Our acquaintance continued to increase until it grew to the strongest attachment and love, but all unbeknownst to either of our friends. This spring I went to school a few weeks to a man by the name of Warren and then went to carpenter work. On the 8th of July, 1843, I received a commission of Captain of the 1st Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Regiment, 2nd Cohort, Nauvoo Legion. About this time Brother Joseph was again taken prisoner by a band of incarnate demons in the northeast part of the state. So the steamer, Maid of Iowa, was named and went around by the mouth of the Illinois River and up as far as Peru and we there learned that Joseph was taken to Nauvoo. So we returned and found him at home and set at liberty. During the voyage I suffered much with the toothache and was quite sick. I still grew more and more attached to the object of my affection, and on the 7th day of July, 1843, Elizabeth Anderson, married to me by Elder Charles C. Rich, but her parents and friends were so much opposed to our union that we left her father’s house and went to James Pace’s to get married, and I never went into their house for over two years again. I then took passage on board the steamer Maid of Iowa, with my wife and set out for Black River, Wisconsin Territory in company with Lyman Wight, George Miller and about 100 others to work in the lumbering business for the Nauvoo House and Temple. We were about five days getting up to Prairie LaCross. We then shipped our good on keel boats and polled and cordelled [sic] up Black River to the Mormon Mills at the falls of the river. My business was chiefly carpenter and joiner work, building houses for the company to winter in. I worried the most of the time only when I was sick which was a week or so. About the 1st of March [1844] our provisions gave out, so as to leave us quite hungry. Some ate an ox after he had been dead three weeks, and I ate of a piece and salted it and set it away but it stank so that it made me sick, and just as I was done fixing my stinking meat, two sled loads of flour hove in sight, so I did not eat any of that old carcass. March 12th [1844] I began to build me a boat to go back to Nauvoo in and when I got my flat boat done, Lyman Wight swapped me a skiff for it so I set out with my wife about the 15th of March in my skiff down the Black River. We met with some difficulty by the ice which was running in the river. We stayed at a Mr. Douglas’ Mill the first night and the second we camped to the river side of the woods. The third night we got to Prairie LaCross. We found that the Winonagagoes [sic] Indians had been killing one another and were in an excited state. We stayed all night at the trading post and got some little provisions, then set out down the Mississippi River. The weather was squally, the winds and waves made it dangerous traveling some of the time, but we got opposite Galena and put up with a bachelor some of the time, because of the wind and rain. We stayed there two or three weeks and he wanted us to stay all year. he offered us great wages but we were anxious to et back to Nauvoo. I then sold my skiff and took passage of a steamboat and once again got back to the city of the Saints. I then went to work on the seventies hall at joiner work for a few weeks, then at carpenter work and with my brother Hosea. We took jobs and I worked out a milk cow. I had to rent houses to live in not begin able to build. On the 1st day of May, 1844, Elizabeth brought forth a son, and we called his name Charles Heber. This gave us great joy in the midst of our poverty. The child continued to grow fast and was a source of much comfort to us. My health was poor so as to not be able to do much hard work. Now, there began to be excitement in the regions round about, so that the [Nauvoo] Legion was called out, which occupied my time as I had command of one company of footmen. The mob was determined to have the prophet and we were determined that they should not, so we kept under arms day and night for many weeks, but finally Joseph and Hyrum gave themselves up to be tried by the persuasion of false brethren and were taken out to Carthage. And while they were in jail, Brother Joseph wrote an official order to Jonathan Bunham [sic] to bring the legion and reserve him from begin killed, but Dunham did not let a single man or mortal know that he had received such orders, and we were kept in the city under arms, not knowing but all was well, until the mob came and forced the prison and slew Joseph and Hyrum Smith and wounded John Taylor severely. Their dead bodies were brought to Nauvoo where I saw their beloved forms reposing in the arms of death, which gave me such feelings as I am not able to describe. But I there and then resolved in my mind that I would never let an opportunity slip unimproved of avenging their blood upon the head of the enemies of the Church of Jesus Christ. I felt as though I could not live. I knew not how to contain myself, and when I see one of the men who persuaded them to give up to be tried, I feel like cutting their throats. And I hope to live to avenge their blood, but if I do not, I will teach my children to never cease to try to avenge their blood and then their children and children’s children to the fourth generation as long as there is one descendant of the murderers, upon the earth. Now, soon after the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum, I joined the Old Police and was under arms day and night when I was well enough, but I am frequently sick of the fever and ague, by being out on guard on nights. The police drew one dollar per day for services in city scrip until the legislature of Illinois repealed the city charter and then Brother Brigham Young called the Old police together and told them that there was no visible means of pay, but said he wanted all who felt disposed to continue to guard the city, and the Lord would open some way for their support. But some of the police quit service when the pay stopped, but I kept on guard, still believing that the Lord was able to fee me, and soon after I got a berth in the Nauvoo Lodge where I got $1.50 per day and only had to act about three hours each day. On the 22nd day of December, 1844, I received license as a seventy, was ordained some time before. I lived in rented houses, not being able to build for myself. I was sick considerable of the time this winter but I was on guard whenever I was able, and on the 9th day of February, 1845, I was ordained by A. P. Rockwood, a President in the 19th Quorum of Seventy Samuel Moore, Senior President. President Brigham Young told a dream he had concerning a man child whom some say was dead, but he looked at him and saw that he breather, and the child grew fast. No this, he said, was the priesthood; thought the Prophet was slain, yet the priesthood remained unhurt. Now I taught an evening lecture school this winter on masonry, as many who had been in the lodge had not been well versed in the lectures. I continued guard, lecture school, sword school and various meetings all winter and spring. February 16th [1845] my family was not well, my child was sick of a fever. February 19th [1845] I worked at joiner’s work and went to the sword school in the afternoon and to the lodge at night, and at midnight on guard in a storm of wind and rain, suffering with the ear and teeth ache. Now this is a sample of my duties (see scrap journals for particulars). February 21st [1845] I rent a house of Simeon A. Dunn for $1.50 a month, opposite the Nauvoo House store. February 24th [1845] I moved to the house I had rented. February 25th [1845] At the police meeting at the usual hour. We heard that the Twelve were in danger out at Macedonia and a company was sent to see to it, but the mob did not hurt them. I then fixed my army in good trim for any emergency that might come. February 27th [1845] At night John Scott and I were on patrol guard, near Mr. Clapps’ store, and we heard a cry down toward the mansion house as if someone was being killed. We ran to the spot but could see no one but William Marks who was in a rage because someone had thrown some stinking filth and ink upon Washington Peck, an apostate who was boarding at the mansion house. March 1st [1845] Stormy. March 3rd [1845] We began to fix for a garden and so on through the month. I stood guard half of every other night and did as much other business as I could. I bought a house and lot in the north part of the city, but it was so far off I did not live in it, but rented it out. On the 6th of April [1845] conference began. I had to assist in keeping the alleys clear, and such other business as the high policemen ordered. During this conference. Dr. Charles complained that the boys were following him with big knives and whistling at him. April 19th [1845] I went and engaged cakes and beer for the police to have spree April 12th [1845] We had a feast of cakes and ginger beer, etc. (see scrap journals no. 2) We had a merry time. April 14th [1845] The babe was sick April 1st [1845] the elders administered to Charles and he got better so that we could rest at night. Until May Ist stood on guard, worked at gardening, served in the lodge, etc. I was quite unwell the forepart of May so as to scarcely be able to get about. May 12th [1845] I took a schedule of the arms and ammunition o my company so as to make out an official report to the commanding officer of the [Nauvoo] Legion. May 15th [1845] It was a day of fasting and prayer. My wife and I went and she was sick at evening so I missed going to the police meeting for the first time in a great while. May 30th [1845] I went up to the top of the tower of the temple, and I could see all the region round about (see scrap journal no. 3) June 5th and 6th [1845] My breast complaint was preying upon me so as to disable me from doing much. Monday, the 12th, myself and Daniel Carns were fined $1.50 each for getting angry, to be paid in beer. Charles was sick for some weeks. June 15th [1845] Sunday, my wife’s brothers and sister were all that were old enough, baptized and I helped to confirm them. Monday the 23rd [June 1845] I was detained on guard at President Brigham Young’s on the first watch of the night and J. Scott on the latter. but before John went to bed we heard a few blows struck as if someone was beating an ox with a club, which was followed by shrieks. So Scott ran towards the noise and met Irvine Hodge coming towards us who cried out, “Don’t kill me.” Scott said “Who are you? I am John s.” “I know you are my friend,” said Hodge, and caught hold of Scott’s arm, and they came opposite of Young’s door, and said he “I am a butchered man,’ and immediately he fell. As soon as a light could be gotten, we found that the blood was running from his side, and there was soon a crowd of men on the ground, but he soon expired. And there was a jury called and body examined, which was stabbed three or four times and cut several of his ribs from his back bone, but the assassins escaped for it was so dark that a man could not be seen. Wednesday, July 1st [1845] I still kept on guard and worked on the lodge and made as much garden as I could. About those days I wrote my scrap journal in phonography [sic], but was not well skilled in the science, so it is hard to read it. (see scrap book 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th) I made ginger beer to sell this summer and I tended the Nauvoo House meat market, stood guard, etc. until the 1st of September [1845] and then there began to be trouble in the regions of bear Creek, Carthage and Warsaw, so that we had to fly to arms again to protect ourselves against the mob. I had very [poor] health all the time but continued to stand guard as much as possible, of night’s and also keep with my company on duty whenever required. this fall, Elder Heber C. Kimball asked me to move on one of his rooms to live there the winter. Soon after we moved into Brother Kimball’s house, he sealed my wife to me and on the 3rd of December, 1845 my wife brought forth her second son and I called his name Allen Joseph. The object of my living at Brother Kimball’s was to be on hand at a minute’s warning if anything should take place that he needed help, for the mob was determined to destroy the heads of the Church if possible. Now we were making every arrangement possible for starting in the spring for the west, somewhere, I knew not where. Some said to Vancouver Island, but had to go somewhere. We could not stay in Nauvoo any longer without fighting all the time. So the Church preferred going into exile, and accordingly, on the 10th day of February, 1846, I left Brother Heber C. Kimball’s’ house and crossed the great Mississippi River, for I knew not where, but I had no team, so I left nearly all my little household stuff and sent in with my father-in-law in his big five-horse wagon. But the weather was bad, snow, rains and winds came on incessantly so that we could not travel for some weeks, so we lay in camp on Sugar Creek where I again was on guard all the time. My brother Hosea was the captain of al the guards, about 200, and I was a captain of ten. While we were camped on Sugar Creek, Benjamin Stewart, one of Captain W. I. Earl’s men, shot one of my men by the name of Abner Blackburn, which was done by carelessly handling a big holster pistol! It was only a flesh wound and soon got well. I was there taken with the sore eyes so that when the camp moved on, I had to stay behind a week, but I got my eyes doctored up and rolled ahead, and overtook the camp at what was called Richardson’s Point. I had given my company in charge of Brother Martin Erwell while I was blind with the sore eyes. It was the 16th of March [1846], when I overtook the camp. We went out to work for the Gentiles to get provisions, for it was so wet and muddy we could not travel, but on the 19th we struck our tents and traveled 15 miles. Friday, 20th [March 1846] sent my family ahead and stayed back with my company with Brother Brigham. we traveled 12 miles. Sunday the 22nd, [March 1846] we went on four miles and came to Charlton River where we had a hard road to travel, hills and muddy. I saw 25 yoke of oxen to one wagon to get up a hill. Here we lay in camp until the 1st of April, 1846, during which time I peddled off some books for corn and other provisions. My father-in-law, Brother Anderson, swapped a large wagon for a smaller one, and got a cow, 15 bushel of corn, and 285 pounds of bacon to boot. Here also, some of my men discharged and went back for their families, etc. I was relieved of a great deal of care and anxiety, so we again went on a few miles through mud and mire and camped on Shoal Creek., where I camped with Brother Brigham’s company. Here I herded the cattle. Friday the 3rd. [April 1846] we started early, but there come a thunder shower so that the road got so muddy that we had to double our teams, and so some got stuck in the mud, and did not get to camp that night. So we kept rolling on from place to place through the mud until the 27th when we pitched our tents in a beautiful grove of timber where we began to make a farm. This place was called Garden Grove. Here it was determined by the council that those who were out of provisions should stop and rise a crop. About these times, the rattlesnakes bit a good many of the our animals, and there was a great exposure the Saints were forced to undergo. There one of Hosea’s boys died. There was great want of bread in camp, so that we were oppressed on every hand, but we cried o the Lord, who heard our prayers, and we were fed by his-all-bountiful hands, but some showed out their evil hearts by their mean mutterings and selfishness. On the 15th [May 1846] the camp rolled on, but I still stayed at camp for I was quite sick and worn out by continually herding stock and waiting on the sick. Tuesday the 19th [May 1846] we again set off for the next location. Saturday, the 23rd [May 1846] we overtook the main camp on the middle fork of the Grand River, which is a rich prairie country with beautiful groves of timber on the water courses. Here we stayed until Tuesday, the 2nd of June, 1846, when the camp began to move off, and I and my father-in-law had to go down to grand River 40 or 50 miles to get some cattle he had traded a wagon for. On the 9th of June, 1846 , I was taken with something like a fit which caused me to fall into the fire, but did not get burned. On the 11th [June 1846] we moved into a house belonging to a man named Logan. Friday 12th of June, 1846, I was taken with a hot fever and continued to get worse for some time so that I was only able to speak when I was sent for my Brother Brigham to go in the [Mormon] Battalion to fight the Mexicans. Saturday the 20th [June 1846] The fever began to subside so there began to be some hopes of my recovery. On the 25th [June 1846] I was well enough to sit up in the wagon so we started for Garden Grove, where we arrived on the 28th, and on the 30th we moved into brother Duncan McArthur’s house, who was very kind to me in my affliction. Here I remained for some time, gaining strength slowly. July 20th, 1846, I again began to work. My wife and children had the sore eyes on account of our exposure. August 4, 1846, I sent off some kegs and bad cords which I had made, by Brother McArthur to sell to get some little notions to make us comfortable. My eyes got so sore I could scarcely see to work. August 21st [1846] I began to cut a set of house logs, and on the 22nd, I finished cutting them so I hauled my logs and built me a house and before I could get it done, my wife was taken down with the billous [sic] fever and was very sick so that I could do nothing but tend her, until the 25th, when Allen, my youngest son was taken with bad diarrhea, and came near dying. August 27th [1846] My wife began to mend. On the 30th [August 1846] we were all better of our illness. October 1, 1846, A. W. Babbitt come on from Nauvoo and told of the battle that they had with the mob and surrendered of the city to them. I now bought a piece of land with a crop on it of W. Chapman. On the 1st I sold my house to William Hickman, who moved in with me. On the 23rd [October 1846] I moved into the house that I bought. I worked at repairing my house and tending on my sick folks until the 6th day of November, 1846, when I learned that my father-in-law was on the road with a sick family, three of them had died. November 7, 1846, my wife now began to do a little of the housework, which relieved me. I now et out on foot to meet my father-in-law, and went 25 miles and met them. I got back November 8, 1846, and my father-in-law moved in with me, and we all remained until the 14th, during which time I sold of such things aa [sic] I could not haul, and we again set out for Council Bluffs and went two and one-half miles. 15th [November 1846] we traveled 12 miles and camped on a creek called White Breast. On the 16th [November 1846] we had to hunt cows all day. 17th [November 1846] we started on our way, and got to Mt. Pisgah on the 19th. On the 29th {November 1846] I passed the grave of my brother’s other son, who died as he was passing by that place. December 4th 1846, we came to the main fork of the Visnabotma [sic] where we killed a fat steer and rested ourselves. We the went on through mud, frost and cold winds until the 10th of December, 1846, when we came to the Missouri river, where the main camp was in Winter Quarters. I crossed the river on the ice and went to my brother Hosea’s house. here the Saints had built a city in six weeks time. On the 13th [December 1846] we crossed the river and I went into my brother’s tend and went on guard the first night. Hosea and I then cut and hauled a set of house logs, and I got me a small cabin and moved into it. I continued to stand guard at night, but cut wood and sell it for other eatables. I got 75 cents a night for police service and then worked all I could so that I made out to keep something to eat and wear. We were troubled with the Lamah [sic] Indians. They would steal everything they could get their hand on, so that there had to be a constant guard at night and day. All spring and summer I was out on horseback 100 days guarding the herds, and stood on guard at night all I could. I also kept the stray pound which kept me very busy. I was taken sick of the ague and fever several times. The atmosphere was very heavy and damp of nights. I got nine acres of land in cultivation. I also bought a cabin of Brother Lindsay Brady and left the ones built for my brother to occupy. Now, Brother Brigham took a company of pioneers and went west to hunt a resting place for the Saints and located Great Salt Lake City in the Great Basin of the Rocky Mountains. He then returned to Winter Quarters. Now, I was on guard day and night as much as my strength would permit, and seemed to be doing well until in December when my wife was taken sick. She got so bad that I was finally prevailed on the get Dr. J.M. Bernhisel [sic] to tend on her, and he gave her some medicine, bled her, and put a Spanish fly blister on her back, and she seemed to get better. So I went 25 miles up the river to summer quarters to asses the property of the settlement for tax purposes and on my return I found that my wife had been confined a few hours before I go back. This was the 25th of January, 1848. Now I was engaged in assessing and collecting taxes for the payment of the police and mounted guards, but I found it was a thankless job, for the people were poor and some that were able to pay would not, but I had to keep trying day after day. I also had to tend to the stray pound which was a hard task. Now my wife seemed to be very weak and grew worse so I had to stay by her day and night, but in spite of all I knew how to do an inflammation took place, and on the 30th day of January, 1848, she died at 2 o’clock p.m. Now the weather was very cold and I sent word to her father and mother who came down as soon as they could, and on the 1st of February, they came and we buried her the same day. Now I was in a benighted condition without a wife, with three little helpless children and a journey of 1100 miles to perform without an animal to help me, and what to do I did not know. So I continued to pour out my soul in prayer to God day and night for him to open up some way for me to support my little ones and get them to the valleys of the mountains. So I sent my three babes off for a few weeks, and I went to see them once in a week or so until I got my sister Anna to come and keep house for me. I then hired a girl by the name of Eliza Shurtliff to help my sister and then went and got my children and kept them at home. So I continued to hire first one girl and then another to help my sister. 17th February, 1848 1.
How
solemn is the lonesome night 2.
Elizabeth, oh where art thou? 3.
Ah, yes
me thinks I hear thee say 4.
The
time is even near at hand 5.
There
we shall see each other’s face 6.
Elizabeth, me thinks I hear 7.
That
they may learn to do the things 1.
How
sorrowful and sad does every moment roll, 2.
But she
alas; is gone to some healthful clime 3.
To reap
a just reward for all our sufferings here, Now the Saints were starting out for the mountains, and all who would not go must return across the Missouri river, for we were on Indian land and the Gaent [sic] had ordered us off. Some time about the 3rd of April I hired Amanda m. Fisk to work for my sister and towards the last of April, my sister was going over the river, but I had agreed with Miss Fisk to get married. So on the 30th of April, 1848, Brigham Young and Thomas Bullock came over and we were wedded at my own house. Now this was unexpected to some of our friends who wondered how I was to get along with my children. I now moved back over the river and went out on Pigeon Creek and rented a house and garden spot of Riley Howard. now I began to put in a garden, but I had traded for an Indian pony, so I had something to ride, as I had a heap of going about to do now. I met with some old Masonic friends who gave me five dollars in gold which was a help to me, and I taught a lecture school which brought me something to eat. I then went on a visit to Ray County, Missouri to see my sister Lydia, and when I started back, John Larkey gave me five dollars. After I got back home I went 150 miles back to Iowa to vote in the August election. This was done to accomplish some political movement. There was a large company of us. we were gone two weeks. This was rest and recreation for me, for I had been so long in public business that my mind needed a rest. I got home on the 15th of August 1848 and found my family well, but I took cold on the trip which gave me the ague, so that I was sick for two weeks so as to do no work out as outfit for the valley. We made fifteen miles travel and stayed at Kanesville, where I settled up my tithing and some other business. we then pursued our journey. Oct. 16th, 1848, I set out for St. Joseph Mo. To try to work an outfit for the Valley. We made fifteen miles travel and staid at Kanesville, where I settled up my tithing and some other business. We then pursued our journey, which was one hundred fifty miles distant. We staid at my wife’s grandmothers one night as we went to St. Jos. We got to St. Jos. On the 25th. I then began to mold rails and make wash boards for a living. I tried visiting the St. Joseph lodge but found them very rusty; they had not a man in their Lodge who could confer the degree of a kinsman, or give the lecture of the three degrees. I started to go back to the Bluffs of business, but the weather was so cold that I had to turn back after I had gone fifty miles, it was to cold that I could not set on the mule without freezing. So I got back and went to work in a wagon shop for Green Cauton [sic]. And continued that business most part of my time until April the 16th 1849, when my wife brought forth a daughter and we called her name Lydia Mariah Fisk. I had to make a trip up to Lynden and another down to Camden this spring on business for my wagon shop again. About two weeks after Lydia was born I blowed [sic] and struck for a blacksmith one half day, and that night I was taken down with my breast so bad I was senseless for weeks so that none thought I could live. But just as they thought I was going to die I began to get better, and continued to gain slowly. For months now a man by the name of Samuel Hillman a doctor came and attended on my wife and me who were both sick. He said he was a Mormon and his wife was in Ill. And he wanted my help to get his children to church. So I promised him to help him to get them, but was not able to go until late in summer. So I went and tried to get them but his wife would not let them go. Now when I found out that I could do him no good, I got on a steamboat at St. Louis and returned home. I then settled up my business in St. Joseph and got on a steamer, call St. Joseph with my family, consisting of a wife and four children, and started down the Mo. River for Camden City about one hundred fifty miles. On our way we passed a collapsed steamer called Saida [sic] . Her Captain was killed; she collapsed again soon after and killed a number of Saints who were on their way to the Valleys. As we were on the steamer I was taken with ague. We got to Camden and I went to my sisters five miles up the river. My sister was in good health now, but she had been very low. We staid in with my sister until I got a little better. I then rented a house and moved into it. Now Martha Ann was so sick that we could just see that she breather, and my wife was taken with ague and fever, so I got some Russin Bark, which broke up the ague on my wife; and some of Dr. Moffats [sic] vegetable pills cured Martha of the diarrhea that almost run to an inflammation. We now began to get our health again, so I started out to seek a place for the winter, and I rented a place in Clay Co. Mo. Of a man by the name of Price, and moved into it. I then went to work at digging potatoes. I also cleared a heap of apples after the folks were done gathering them. I now was in the midst of old mobbers who had drove the Saints from Mo., in 1838-39, but they did not know me. I went and saw the old corty [sic] house where I was a prisoner under Gen. Clark and Sterling Price in the fall of 1838. I wanted to burn the old county house down but had no opportunity to do it. But in the course of the fall of 1849 I got in a fuss with the Old Mo. Mobacrats [sic] and I have to leave and go back to the Bluffs till the next spring; during which time my family underwent many hardships and endured may privations, for the Gentiles tried to take the children from us and bind them out, but with the help of a few true hearted friends we made out, to prevent their being bound out. But some of the brethren who were in Mo. Befriended her, but some others tried to help the Gentiles to use me up soul and body. But I continued to humble myself before the Lord and call on his name for to be delivered from the Gentiles. Now, when Brother Joseph Grover brought my wife up from Mo. To me at Kanesville [sic] , I rented a house of Brother Moses Mecham, true friends to me, and went to compounding essence and peddling them, for my health was so poor that I could not do any hard work without laying me up. But I found this business paid the best of anything I have seen at since I left Nauvoo. So I went ahead at the peddling, buying and selling various things and made a good living at it for a year now. On the 9th of March 1851 my wife was confined and she had a son and we called his name Alfred Fisk, after father. Now I was making every preparation to get off to Utah so I got what bread stuff and other things for a fitort [sic] that I could and got a wagon by hauling 600 pounds of freight for Elder Hyde. I then got three yoke of wild steers of John Brown, the agent for the Perpetual Emigration fund and on the 20th of May 1851 we left the house of M. Mecham and went in to camp. Now this was an unusual rainy spring, and the water course were very high, so that we lay in camp on and about the Mo. River until the 4th of July, when we left the Grove seven miles west of old winter quarter; but while we were there I went and looked at the grave of my departed wife, which was so grown with weeds that I could scarcely designate it. We were in Alfred Gordens company of fifty and I was in my father-in-laws company of Ten. Now, in consequence of the high waters we set out on the 4th of July to head the Elkhorn River which was overflowed from Bluff to bluff, so that we traveled one hundred fifty miles out of our way to get around the river. We had to roll through sand, mud, and water over hills and through trackless plains, except by Indian and buffalo so that when we struck the old road my team was badly used up. I saw thousands of buffalo at a time; they were like herds of cattle on the wide level prairies, just as far as the eye could see. We now traveled up the Big Platt River on the north side till we came to Fort Laramie, where we crossed the river, then traveled up the south side through the Black Hills. We had to stop once in a while a few days to mend wagons and let our women wash. My health was very bad, so that I had to hire my share of guarding the stock. When we struck the Sweet Water, at what is called Independence Rock, my wife was taken with inflammatory rheumatism, and was not able to get out of the wagon until we got to the Ballery; so I had to cook for my family, tend on my sick wife and five babies, and manage my team, but still paid my share of guarding. So we rolled on up the North Fork of Sweet Water, where my wagon broke down, and I had to cache my freight and go leave it, which consisted of twenty big plows. We now set out again and rolled on until we came to Big Sandy, in ten miles of Green River where our company collapsed, and I came on with James Lowe, who was the Captain of ten in the place of Anderson, who had been put out. Now Bro. Lowe relieved me of either guarding or paying for it. We rolled on through the Mountains and up and down the canyons till the 2nd day of Oct. when I rolled my wagon up to my brother Hosea’s house in Great Salt Lake City, and Hosea brought out his wife’s big chair, and him and me lifted my wife out of the wagon and set her in the chair and carried her in the house. I had lost one ox on the plains and the wolves killed another after I got in before I returned use of two yoke, and to pay for one yoke that I had lost. I then went to the Tithing office, and paid the tenth of all the stores and bought oil and alcohol and went to making and selling all sorts of essence, and a great many other articles. Now in three days time my wife was able to get about so I rented a house of Melvina Snow, and moved into it. Shortly after this the chicken pox got into my family, and my wife was so bad with it that Dr. Clinton thought she had the smallpox; and the children, some of them had it very severe. I was so feeble that I could but get around with my basket of essence and trade for something to eat. I lived in sister Snows house until March, 1852, when I rented a house and garden. I worked at gardening and peddling until August when I set out to go back to Sweet Water to get the freight I has cached, which was one hundred forty miles. I went in Captain E. K. Fullers Company, who were going to meet the emigrants on and help them in, but when I got there my plows were, twelve of them gone so I and Brother Jared Porter loaded up a ton of old wagon tires, and the eight plows and returned to the Valley in company with Captain Clarks Company who got out of bread and we divided ours with them until we were out; and we borrowed some and paid two pounds for one when we got home. But before I got gone I was warned of coming trouble, and when I got home I found my oldest sons sick with a pain in his heel, which got worse and finally bathered [sic] and broke, and got so bad that it seemed as if his foot must come off, when an inflammation of the bowels took place, and he died on the 19th of November 1852, being eight years six months and nineteen days old. The following lines I composed on his death; 1.
Thou
art gone my dear son to thy mother 2.
But
though I should linger a season 3.
But
when’er my labor is ended About this time or a little before my brother was sent on a mission to China; and on the 14th of December we had another son born,, 1852, and called his name Hosea Fisk Stout and on the 30th of December, by brothers wife had a son and called his name Joseph Allen, and on the 10th of Jan. 1853 the child died of ereysipelas [sic]; and Louisa, my brothers wife was fast declining when her baby died; and on the 12th of Jan. she expired. Now she left three small children, and I did not expect that my brother would return for five years; so I moved into his house to try to take care of his children. But in the spring of 1853, President Young advised me to let the children go and live with their grandmother; and then moved up to Davis Co. Twelve miles north of Great Salt Lake City, and got a small piece of land for a garden of Thomas Rich. I then built a house and planted a garden and sold essence to get vituals [sic] to eat, and worked some in the canyons at getting wood and some of the time made and sold Ginger Beer. There was a great emigration going through to Calif., which made money plentiful and I made a heap by trading with them. On the 3rd of Feb. 1855 my wife gave birth to another son and we called his name David Fisk. I made a garden this year again on Bro. T. Rich’s place, but the grasshoppers were so numerous that they destroyed the crop nearly all over the country which made provisions very scarce. In the fall of 1855 I hired Elihu H. Hyatt to work a circular saw mill at making shingles, so I moved to Mill Creek in Salt Lake County, and I began to work in the mill and continued all winter and in the spring of 1856, I rented a small farm down on the land o f Mill Creek and put in a crop. Now I was harder run this summer for provisions than I had ever been in these valleys. I was often so weak for want of food that I would take trembling spells so as to be obligated to lay down in the field or wherever I happened to be. I raised some corn, potatoes, what, and 1000 cabbage etc. and in the fall I went back and worked in Hiatts Mill, and on the 13th of Jan. 1857 we had another daughter born and called her name Rebecca Alvira Fisk. I continued to work in the shingle mill and at making baskets for a living., until in the last of March. I rented a farm of Julian Moses and Amos Neff, over three miles on Big Cottonwood Creek, and moved over and began to put in a crop. But in those days president Buchanan had sent an army over the plains to annihilate the Saints, So the Saints after considerable manouvering [sic] in the mountains concluded to flee south. So I with the rest packed up and went over to Utah Co., by the help of Brother John B. Brunell, for I had no team so began to fence a bit of land one and one quarter miles south of Pleasant Grove City. And I also commenced making Malt Beer for sale, which proved to be a profitable business. So I made beer, and raised crops and made out quite well, so that I soon got a good milk cow, and then a yoke of steers, I bought some more land so that I had sixteen acres under fence. And on the 14th of Feb. 1859, we had another son born and called his name Allen Joseph Fisk. I still made and sold beer, and farmed a little. I planted an orchard of 300 trees, and was doing the best kind with an extensive run of custom both retail and wholesale; had plenty to eat and wear for which I thanked my Heavenly Father; for I was well acquainted with poverty in its most wretched state, so that I was able to realize the few blessing which I was now in possession of. Jan 15, 1861, we had another daughter born and called her Amanda Melvina Fisk. I continued to farm and brew; and in the fall of 1861 I had got me 100 dollars worth of hay stacked, and had a few sheep, and thought myself settled for good, with a fair prospect for plenty of fruit in a few year. But the first I knew I received a letter from my brother stating that him and me were both called to go to the south to raise cotton. Now this was joyful news to me for I was glad to leave the cold country and get where I could raise southern products; but my wife felt bad for she thought she could not live in a hot climate, for she was very fleshy, and weighed two hundred fifty pounds; but she finally reconciled herself so as no to feel too bad about it. I began to try to sell out but there was so many called at the same time that I could only get one yoke of oxen and one year old heifer for my place, with the hay, potatoes and household stuff which I left; the whole was work 1200 dollars. But I sold out and set for Dixie on the 31st of Oct. in company with my brother. No I had eight head of cattle and four sheep, and we each had 11 in family; and I arrived on Cottonwood Creek on the 28th of Nov. 1861. I now began to try to commence to farm, but soon after I got here it began to be wet weather and continued to rain every few days all winter. I had to go from forty to sixty miles North of mill. My wife was taken down with inflammatory rheumatism. I had no house but lived in a tent and wagons. But I worked at building a hut between showers and in the rain, but it was spring before I got a shelter. My oldest son was also down with the rheumatism. I then went up to Cedar City to help my brothers family come down, for they had to winter weather up there while he had to go to the Legislature. My brother and me and our boys now began to plant cotton and corn, and cane, but my brother was called to go to St. George, so he set out for that place, so I went on with my crop; but I had to go to the mill every four weeks as a general thing; but my boys made a good crop with me to help them a little. In the fall of 1862 we harvested our cotton and cane and corn, and then worked at making stone fence, and various kinds of work, but my breast was very bad a great deal of the time. In the spring of 1863 we set in to make another crop and planted four acres of cotton, one and onehalf of cane, four of corn; and I got out 300 fruit trees and some garden stuff. I am laid up with a pain in my side so as to disable me from work, but my boys are out in the field at work with all their mights. I have struggled hard these twenty years almost, to get along and the Lord has blessed me with a large family who now begin to take some of the load off my shoulders. When I look back on my past life and reflect on the many times that the Lord has raised me up from the verge of the grave , and delivered me from the hand of those who sought my life, I feel to thank and praise his Holy Name for the multitude of his tender mercies. And I humble pray that he will bless my children in like manner and enable them to help build up the kingdom of God on the earth, and avenge the blood of the Prophets. On the 18th of May 1863, we had another son born and called his name John Henry Fisk. Now I have six sons and four daughters living; and I wish to say something to them to look on when I am gone from them and they get old enough to understand the ways of the Lord and the order of His Kingdom. I want you to ever keep with the church and observe the order of the church; in all things obey council to the best of you ability; seek to roll on the work of the Lord in your lifetime, for there is a great work for you to perform in the temple of the Lord, which you will help to rear to His name. And you must attend to the ordinances of the Priesthood for our dead friends, perhaps for your own parents, for we have not yet done our work. And if we do not live to attend to the Holy ordinances, we want you to finish our work. We have worn out our bodies in laying a foundation for you to build on; we have grappled with the powers of darkness to help to commence a work which we know will never be destroyed, but we do not expect to live to enjoy much of the fruit of our labor; but we have labored for you that we might leave a rich reward with you. You will see the towers of Zion rise above all earthly objects. If you are faithful some of you will live to see the Son of God come in the clouds of heaven. You will see the Nations of the earth come bending to the standards of Zion, but you may see the armies of the earth arrayed against you first but be faithful and never flinch or fear them, for the Lord will fight your battles if you put your whole trust in him. For he has begun His work, and it will not come to naught, but He may suffer some of his Saints to fall for a testimony against our enemies. But be strong in the work of the t Lord, and whether on life or death, you reward will be sure and you shall conquer at last. July 9th 1863, the weather is very hot and our water is nearly gone, so that it is uncertain weather we can save our crops or not. My health is not good yet, but I work some every day at my crop either hoeing or at watering. July 11, David was taken with the scarlet fever and came near dying.Friday, 17th , David is better but Lydia is taken with the same complaint; Hosea was taken also but not so violent. July 20th, the children are better, all but Lydia, who keeps very bad. July 21st, our sick ones are gaining, Rains in the mountains have cooled the air and raised the streams so we have plenty of water. Crops look well. July 22nd ,Allen was taken down with the scarlet fever; the rest are better; my wife has symptoms of being with it also George A. Smith and Mr. Kinney addressed us yesterday. July 23rd. The sick children are getting better, all but Allen, who still keeps out of his head. 24th, the children are the same, dry and hot. The crops need water, but we are all to sick to attend to it. Sat. the 25th. Alfred was taken down with the scarlet fever, the rest of the children are still gaining. Sun. July 26th Alfred is very sick. I tried to water my cane and cotton but was not able to do much. My family were all gaining all but Alfred on the 27th and on the 29th the fever ceased on him. Aug. 1st 1863, the sick are gaining fast and we are at work in our crops, irrigating. Sunday, Aug. 2nd. My family are still on the mend, but are still weak and not able to do much; they continue to get better and were at our daily savor until Sun. the 9th when Bros. Orson Pratt, R.D. Carrington, and John Nebeker came and preached to us. There was a trial also between me and P. Meeks about a piece of land which we both claimed. On the 10th and 11th worked in the crops. Aug. 12th I went to Wash. To get my oxen of the stray pen; and on the 18th returned home with fourteen head of cattle. Aug. 15th hauled logs and wood and worked in the garden. I continued to haul logs and wood and work in the garden and watered my crop when needed until the 21st when Bishop Covington and one of his council come over to fix something about our water ditches, and set things in order in regard to the amount of land we should try to water with the Creek. Sat. the 22nd I went with my wife and Mr. Mullen and his women to Toquerville to get peaches. On the 23rd, rested myself. Mon. the 24th I gathered 65 melons and set North to trade them for bread stuff. I went 48 miles, bought 16 ½ bushels of wheat, but had to pay cotton for 14 bushels of it. I got some wool, cheese, and butter. I returned home on the 30th and was quite tired and my oxen reduced considerably. Aug. 31st. Watered my crop. Sept. 1st 1863. We began to pick out cotton and that will be our work the most of the fall. The week ended Sept. 5th I was laying up a stone wall for a loom house while the boys were watering, picking cotton and ground cherries, and working with the oxen. Sun., Sept. 6th Raining; I went on with my usual work until Friday the 18th I took a load of cotton to Wash. To get ground; where I also sold some baskets for cotton and peaches. I got home at midnight of the 19th made a 7 bushel basket, and the boys worked at picking out cotton. Sun. 20th. We were all so destitute of clothes that we don’t go to meetings; so I stayed at home and rest. Mon. 21st. I dug a grave for D. Brands child. I then went to picking cotton and stripping cane out which took until the 8th of Oct.. On the 9th I went with my whole family and three others boys and we picked 245 pounds of cotton. Sat. the 10th. I hauled my cane seed and the boys cut corn and picked cotton. Sun. Oct. 11th, Rested and wrote some. I was busy securing my crop for the most of time until Nov. 6th 1863 when I butchered an ox for Mr. Mullen. Saturday Nov. 7th 1863, I took some tithing Molasses; and salted some meat which I bought. I was busy securing my crop and getting wood & c. On the 28th my sister Anna arrived from Provo to spend the Winter. Mon. my sister went to St. George to see my brother Hosea. Wed. Dec. 2nd I sent my boys to Washington to get some corn ground and some cotton grinned. On the 3rd the boys got back in the night. Fri. the 4th, I worked on the Loom House. Sat. Dec. 5th; this day I was 48 years old; and no with standing all the hardships, mobs and prisons I have been through, and the sickness I have had, I am not able to perform more hard work than when I was first Baptized into the Church, in 1838, for the Lord has given me strength to stand my scenes of deep affliction and has rewarded me with a large family who are now a great help to me, for which I thank and pray his Holy name; and I pray for strength that I may live to see my children all able to do for themselves. I was employed at common labor about home until December 14th 1863, when I served one week as Grand Juror, at the City of St. George. I then returned home and went to my work. We had a dance at Kainsberg [sic] on Christmas and another on the 1st of Jan 1854. My health was very poor and most of my family were feeble with colds. Jan 11th, I began to send four of the children to school. Feb. 6th I sold my five acre lot for a cow and calf. I now began to try to settle up my business to more up the river to get a larger farm so as to raise my bread, for I had not land enough to till; and water was scarce for the land I had in cultivation. My wife was dawn with the rheumatism. Sat. Feb. 20th, 1864 my wife is on the mend but not able to walk. I began to make garden. I continued to work at making fences and getting wood for to pay some debts until Mar. the 6th 1863, my wife was sick still, but was able to walk; my breast was not well, and the children were ill with colds. I was trying to get my business settled up so as to go off and farm and get a crop of corn, in, for my breast was sore. I was sick so as to have to keep in doors for some days. But the two oldest boys went ahead with my business. Mar. 18th We were ready to start off to make a crop, but I was not able to go, but on the 20th we set out for the upper Vergin [sic] , to make a new farm. My oldest son and I set out and have but little to eat, and we had but little to take with us. So we passed through Toquer [Toquerville] and up the Twist and camped on the LaVercan [sic] Bench where there was a little bunch of grass. Mon. the 21st. We passed on through Vergin City and Goolds [Gould's] Ranch and camped where there was some grass for our stock, which consisted of one yoke of oxen, two cows and two calves. We had now made about twenty-five miles in two days. On the 22nd we set out through mud, for it had rained that night; and we pulled teenys [sic] sheep herd and camped in the cedars; up here the feed was good; still cloudy. On the 23rd we passed through teenys ranch, and camped in the cedars. We were forty-five miles from Harrisburg. On the 24th we set out and traveled about 8 miles and camped where we had good grass but the wind blew very cold. Sat. the 26th we passed over some sandy hollows which was very hard on our team, till at last we stuckfast [sic] , and had to unload and pack our wagon up the hill by pieces. Sun. the 27th snowing and cold. We had to pack our load up one more hill and we then got into Long Valley and overtook Mr. Harris who started a week ahead of us. Mon. the 28th we passed on up the Valley and camped all together near where the town of Winsor now is located. Tue. The 29th we rolled on up to where the Barrys [sic] were camped and staid all night, but not finding a chance to suit us, we went back seven miles and examined the soil, which did not suit us for it was poor; so on the 31st of Mar. I went up one and one half miles above Berryville and began a farm. So we labored with all our mights [sic] at getting a crop in the ground and getting a fence around it. I had located a rich bend of the river of about thirty acres with a spring rising at the foot of the mountain, and was very well situated to irrigate the land below it. I got nine acres of corn, cane, and garden stuff in which grew well, but my health was poor, so that I could do little. We made 260 rods of fence to close in the crop, and got a cabin put up, and on the 17th of June I left my son to go ahead with the crop and take care of the cows, and I set out for Harrisburg to bring my family. I was three and one half days getting back, and found my wife and children well, but out of bread. So I went to work and sold my house and lots to Willard G. McMillian for three cows, and on the 6th of July, 1864, we set out for Long Valley. The weather was hot so we had a hard trip, for we had but one wagon, and the children had to walk; but before we got through the old wagon broke down; and we left the main part of our load and went in on two wheels. We got in on the 14th and found the boy well and crop doing well. on the 16th I went back and got the rest of the load and the broken wagon. We were now out of bread and had to live on meat and milk until green corn came, but we lived through and made out to raise soko [sic] corn beans and other vegetables; but there was no mill, some we pounded and grated our corn. We had a deep snow which lay all winter. But the weather was not very cold so my wife and daughters made clothes to keep us from freezing. And the boys and me done all we could at building and fencing; and in the spring of 1865, my wife gave birth to another son and we called his name Orlando Fisk, their was my eight son and twelfth child. I bought twenty nine sheep and ten took a flock to herd, so we earned one hundred sixty dollars at this business; but my eyes were getting so weak that I could not do much out of the house, an Allen my oldest son, took a notion to leave me; so he left me in a time that I most needed his help, and he has been doing business on his own responsibility every since. Any my eyes continued to get worse all the while until the first day of Dec. when I was so bad with the inflammation in my head that my wife and children became alarmed thinking I would die, and they left the farm and went to town with me. We were now under the necessity of building a for to defend ourselves from the Indians. So I had to hire help and buy some houses in the fort so that my loosing a good share of my crop by the move, I was very low of means, but my eyes grew worse till the middle of winter when the sight was entirely gone from my left eye, and the other one very weak. But I got a little better in the spring, so I went to St. George to sell my sheep and do some other business and was gone about seven weeks, during which time my health improved some. I got back on the 10th of May 1866 and soon after my getting home, Brother Snow sent word for all the inhabitants of Long Valley to return to Dixie. So I was now obliged to leave my farm, fort houses, own lots and everything and get out in a hurry; and having neither wagon nor team I knew not what to do for I could not get a wagon and team for all I was worth; but the Lord opened the way for me. Bro. Thomas Gower, and entire stranger took my family in his wagon and hauled me to Toquer. Now, there were many incidents happened on the way worthy of recording. There were seven Indians come into our camp at Short Creek, who our brethren knew to be the ones that robbed them at Kanab, and it was with difficulty that Bro. John Pierce restrained them from shooting them down, which would have proved our destruction; for there was a strong force of Indians near by. But through the vigilance of Bro. Pierce and J. M. Higgbee and the guards who they commanded, we got in safe. I obtained an underground room where we staid two nights. I then got Thomas Adams to haul me to Harrisburg, nine miles and we stopped with W. G. McMillian in our old house that we sold. We were now so completely broken up that I could not be of the lots back that I let him have. I then left my family, went to St. George on foot to see Brother Snow to find out what to do, and I was told to stop either in Harrisburg, Washington, or St. George. So I W.G McMullin to take me to St. George, where I arrived with my family on the 3rd day of July 1866. And went into a cabin belonging to Zeranus [sic] Lee. Now the sudden change of climate and of water made us all quite sick. On the 12th our babe was taken with Diarrhea, which grew worse fast until inflammation set in and he died on the morning of the 16th of July 1866. This is now the 27th and we are not well and Lydia has gone to Great Salt Lake with her Aunt Alvira [sic] to stay till fall, and I am so near blind that I hardly see what I am writing. And the day will come when you will see the Saints of God free from all oppression and flourishing in Zion; and you will be blessed in the midst of the people of the Lord. It is this knowledge that has helped me to bear up under sickness and death, through mobs and being driven for the Gospel sake. But my body is now so feeble that I cannot stand much more unless the Lord shall strengthen me to bear it. Sunday. Aug. 26th 1866 since writing before we have moved to the lower part of the city in to Isaiah Cox’s house. The weather is extremely wet for Dixie. Martha Ann was married on the 28th of July, to a man by the name of Thomas Pitts, who lives in Paragoonah [sic]. I am at work making baskets and drying fruit. On the 20th day of Sept. I started for Great Salt Lake City, to seek medical council with regards to my eyes and I got there on the 30th , suffering much on the way with my eyes and head. I consulted ten physicians, and their council was conflicting with regards to what ought to be done. But they all said it was not a cancer. I staid at my brothers one month. During which time I had a severe spell of pleurisy. I visited my wifes [sic] Aunt Huldah F. Fouker [Fluker] several times; she is a kind and an intelligent lady. My daughter Lydia was married to Charles E. Griffin the 22nd of Sept. 1866. On the 31st of Oct. I set out for home on the stage and in 36 hour was in Fillmore City, 160 miles on my way, very much fatigued. I staid there three night and was kindly entertained by Bros. Robins and Kinney; I then got in with my brother in-law William Anderson, who was carrying mail and came on to Cedar City; then on in with Charles Cowley and rode to Harrisburg, then rode with George Ghool [sic] to St. George where I found my family in a very destitute situation. The children had ague, and we had no means to get medicine; and it was with great difficulty that we could get bread. So I went to work at making baskets with all my might which I sold for provisions I continued that business all winter. The boys had the chills so that they were not able to do but little; but I sent them to school and they got a start at writing and arithmetic. My health is poor; my sight is dim so much so that every mark on the paper looks like two and I cannot see the rules on the paper, but I still hold on to live and exercise all the faith I can in the Lord, and I pray to my God day and night that I may live to see my little ones all men and women and able to do for themselves; and that I may see the Lords Kingdom triumph and enemies of righteousness brought low in the dust; which things I shall see whether in the flesh or in the spirit. For I do know that the work of the Lord will roll on in spite of every opposition; and my eyes shall see it, and my heart shall rejoice; for this cause I labor and toil in pain an sickness. And esteem my afflictions light when I contemplate the glory that will be given to those who endure to the end. The Gentiles are now trying to get us something for a pretext to get an Army sent against this people but they can only hasten their own destruction and the Lord over rules all things for his own glory and salvation of those who trust in His name. Feb. 23rd 1867. The Indians have been annoying settlements on the Rio Virgin this winter. Mar. 30th 1867 The Indians; I moved my family to a new house that the boys and me had made in the north west part of the city, where we have got water by a little digging in the hill, and we have set out an orchard and a vineyard. The boys still have some ague, and my head is full of pain the most of the time, and my sight is very dim. On the 9th of May 1867, my wife gave birth to another son whom we called Milton Fiske [sic], which my 9th son. We continued to work by the day and job to get our bread through the summer. But on the 1st of Aug. I sold out to S. M. Blair & Co. and got a wagon and team and some clothes. In all I got $400.00 for my place; but I was without a home; I therefore had to rent. On the 18th day of Apr. my oldest daughter Martha Ann Pitts, gave birth to a son, whom they called Thomas Miles. This was my first grandchild, and my second daughter Lydia Mariah Fisk Griffin, came home on a visit to spend the winter with us and on the 15th of Jan. 1868, gave birth to a son who was called Allen Joseph Griffin. And on the 18th of Jan. I was taken with a congestive chill and was out of my senses for some three or four days, and then the consumption set in on me with a swelling of left lung, so that I reduced so low that I could not turn over in my bed for weeks, and there was but little hopes of my recovery for a long time. But when spring came I began to get better slowly, and I removed to Rockville in Cane Co. where we began to make a crop; and I took a trip to Beaver to try to get my health and on my return I was able to hoe in field and could do considerable if my eyes would permit, but I cannot see to work in the hot sun. My children had the whooping cough so that we were all sick for a long time. And now June the 14th we are still afflicted with sickness in our family. My health continued to improve so that I kept at work through the summer, and we raised a good crop, though the grasshoppers came in great abundance and severely injured some of the crops; but the Lord turned them aside so that we had a subsistence left after our crops were secured. I went to St. George and worked ten days and earned $200.00 at basket making, during which time five of my children were going to school to Bro. Henry Jennings, and they learned fast under his instruction. This Oct. Conference President Brigham Young taught the Saints the importance of cooperating in all their business and to cease trading with our enemies, and to build up each other, and not give our means to those who seek our destruction. He also counseled a strict observance of the Word of Wisdom, and forbade any one becoming a member of the school of the Prophets who would not observe the same. But as I had left off the use of tobacco for more than a year, I had got over wanting it, and I joined the school in St. George; so I can have admittance any where that I present my ticket. This school is doing a vast amount of good among the Saints in bringing about a union of feelings and a concert of action, and will so much in preparing the Saints for returning to the center Stake of Zion . On the 23rd of Sept. Lydia started back home to Coalville. She met with her husband in Salt Lake City. My oldest son went up to the city and got his endowments this fall; and five of my other children went to school all winter, but now have to begin to make a crop, and I have to take them out of school; but I am sorry they cannot go on all spring. It is now the 12th of Feb. 1869. So I will write a few words today as I have another son presented to me who we call Don Carlos Fisk, he being my 10th son. we have labored hard the past season to raise a crop, and have been blessed of the Lord with health, and have raised some food to eat the next season, for which we thank our God. It is now the 28th of Oct. 1869. We still continue to labor and raise our bread by filling the earth and raising grain and fruit. The year 1871, ushered in with severe sickness, measles, and colds, which prove fatal to many. My son Don Carlos died on the 15th of Mar. 1871, any myself and family were all sick ten of them with measles; as far me I was still consumptive and my head was affected an in almost constant pain. The grasshoppers again come in countless numbers devouring everything before them in so much that it seemed impossible to raise a crop, but we saved some fruit by smoking them out of the orchards, but what was left was badly injured. The weather was very hot and dry and feed very scarce; but the hoppers passed out and we raised some corn and molasses by the blessing of God. During the winter I worked in Wash. Some times making stone fence, sometimes baskets and also taught a Masonic lecture school of evenings. I returned home Feb. 3rd 1872 and on the 21st set out for Pioche to try to work for some means to buy bread for my family, but the weather was very stormy and I took cold which made my breast so bad that I could not work at the hard labor which was going on there. So I set out for Salt Lake, but I finally got there on the 30th of Mar. I then took out license for peddling fruit, but the weather continued so stormy that I could not get about for some days. And my eye kept getting worse, and the inflammation seemed to be communicating to the other eye, and the doctor thought that I should soon be entirely blind if I did not have something done for it. So on the 11th day of April at ..O’clock Dr. Anderson cut off the lump that protruded so conspicuous that I could not cover it with the lids of the eye. I would not take chloroform, but let him cut it out; and I sensed all the pain, which was so acute that I have no language to describe it. Surprised it say I had to keep close tot he house for near two months during which time his women took the best of care of me that possible could. When I first got there my Bro. And a number of others were in custody at Camp Douglas, but he got released after being confined six months and three days. All this was on the testimony of that Villainous murdered W. A. Hickman. So I traveled with J. W. Barry, but I suffered much on the road with my eye. I got home on the 21st day of June, after an absence of four months and 5 hours, and on the 24th of June 1872 my wife gave birth to another daughter who we called Huldah Louisa Fisk. Soon after I commenced to take fruit to the North settlements and exchange for bread stuff and other commodities for my family were very destitute of both food and raiment. I then commenced to build a house on my lots for I was living in a rented house, and on the 17th of Mar 1873, we moved into our own house and commenced to put seeds in the ground. But on the 5th, 6th and 7th of Apr. 1873 had a severe frost which destroyed the most of the fruit, so that I was compelled to seek some kind of employment to make a living, for my fruit was my chief dependence. So on the 15th of Apr., I set out for Salt Lake City to work, and the first thing I got was making coal sacks, at 5 cents a piece. I made forty a day. I got some money and then bought some alcohol and oils, made up some essence and went to peddling. On the 5th of Aug. I started for home with Mr. Terry, come through Sampete, got a load of flour, and got home the 21st of Aug. I started or had a severe spell of Cholera Morbus on the road, which nearly used me up, for I cramped cholera till I could not stand on my feet. I found my family well. My son Allen Joseph’s wife gave birth to a daughter on the 16th of July named Lucy Melvina. And while I was up there and at getting home I found Hosea Fisks [sic] wife had a daughter, born on the 17th of June, named Clarinda Melvina. And on the 12th of Sept. Alfred Fisks [sic] wife had a daughter they called Mary E. I then went a trip to Panaca with a load of onions, plums, apples and essence, but did not make anything. This is Sept. 14th. I am fitting my house up for winter which I got done so that it was quite comfortable. I then went a trip to Red creek for a load of potatoes. I spent the winter at basket making and in the spring President Young came up and started the United Order. So I went into that head and heels. I sent David to work on the St. George temple while Allen and myself worked in the Order at home. Alfred and Hosea also went into it whole hearted, I went a trip to Panaca for the order, and we now work in the order and draw our bread and all our supplies out of the treasury. This is May 31st , 1874. We continued to work in the united order all the rest of the year, but only about one half of the ward came into the order., This year those who labored in the Order worked to a great disadvantage, partly through lack of experience and partly because our land was so detached by some being in and out of the order. The farm land was some ten miles up and down the river but we made about 4392 pounds of cotton, 9000 pounds of sweet potatoes, 1200 gallons of molasses, and 1000 bushels of corn besides broom cane beans, Irish potatoes a few bushels of ______ and a good crop of fruit and grapes. It took me almost all my time to tend my orchard and vineyard; which was deemed advisable, for each one to take care of his own; my boys worked in the Order on the farm, all but David who worked on the St. George Temple. Jan 3rd 1876. The directors are now balancing accounts and trying to see how we have done, whether we have lost or gained anything the first year. On settling we found that we had only made 65 cents per day, and 7% on capital. So we have determined to try another plan this year, and that is for every man to be a steward over his own property, and pay a portion of what he makes into the Order to create a revenue. I have been making baskets, pruning vineyards, and getting logs to build another room, so that I can take in my sister Anna whose husband has lately died, and she is a cripple and needs care taken of her. This has been a very mild winter so far. Feb. the 24th is the time I am now writing, and we are well as usual, so I will write no more at this time. June 21st 1875. I will again write a little of what had taken place since I last wrote. On the 8th of April my wife brought forth a daughter, and we called her name Anna Smith Fisk; and on the same day David started for Salt Lake City to take a wife, the daughter of Isaiah Cox; her name is Henreitta [sic] ; but David took sick of the inflammatory rheumatism and was not able to go into the Endowment House till May the 17th. On the 28th of May little Anna died after dwindling out a few weeks of feeble existence, and my wife had a very bad spell of rheumatism and dropsy with numerous piles so that she was quite hopeless for weeks, I also was very feeble with my breast complaint and a lame back, and a pain in my head. David is feeble but is going fast. Joseph’s wife had another daughter born Mar. 31st which is my 12th grandchild. We had a late frost which destroyed nearly all the stone fruit but the grapes crop looks well. My daughter Rebecca had another dau[ghter]. My 13th of Aug. and Hoseas [sic] wife had one on the 13th of Oct., which was my 13h and 14th grandchildren. We have had a good crop of grapes, corn and cane. I have been three trips to the North to get bread stuff and other commodities. My wife has been more feeble than common this summer but is now getting her strength again. My health is good at this time Nov. 7th 1875. On the 21st of Nov. Mary my son Alfred’s wife had an untimely birth of twin daughters, they called then Dorothy and Martha. These were my 15th and 16th grandchildren. One lived three hours and the other lived eight days. My wife and I went to St. George in Dec. to see the temple and visit our friends, and as we returned I was taken with a violent cough, and it continued to get worse for weeks; but I got a bottle of Dr. Willard cough Balam [sic], which gave me relief immediately, but I did not get my strength so as to be able to work until spring. I then pruned six vineyards, and put out 2100 grape cuttings, I also cut come 1500 roots for myself and 800 for D. W. Patten, for which I got land to put out my vineyard. I have got that work done and am now making some baskets, while the willows will peal. This is April 30th 1876. My health continued to improve so that by summer I was able to go forth and sell fruit and get bread and some lumber so as to dry our fruit, for we had a good crop of all kinds of fruit. I made seven trips north, but when cool weather come on in the fall my health got poor, so I had to stop going North. On the 20th of Nov. 1876, my wife gave birth to another son, and we called his name Marion Fisk. This is her 14th child. But she had a severe spell of dropsy so that she did not get able to do anything for twelve weeks, and I was very feeble, and three of the children had the chills and fever; so we have had a hard time. It is now the 10th of Feb. 1877. My wife remained feeble for months, but the boy grew fast and was healthy and strong. My wife and I went to St. George on the 6th of April, and tended Conference in the Temple; which was a great privilege, for we received much instruction from the servants of God. I returned to St. Geo. again on the 12th of June; was baptized for my health in the font, and was relieved of my lameness in my feet. I was also baptized for 16 dead, and then went through the ordinance for three of them; Daniel Hogson, William Edes [sic], and Mr. Tate; but before I got home I caught a severe cold which laid me on my bed for weeks. This is July 4th 1877. Aug. 26th Lydia Bliss had another daughter born, which they named Lydia Cecelia, the 19th grandchild. Previous to this I returned to St. George, and was baptized for 48 more July 31st. And Aug. 7th I was baptized for five more. I then went thru the Temple for as many as I could, and shall continue to do so every opportunity. But my son Allen being sent to Manti to work on the Temple there. I had to return home to help to work. I now had all the work to do that I could attend to, drying fruit, irrigating etc. but soon three of the children were seized with chills, so some of the crop perished for want of water. Allen got home in Nov. from Monto [sic], and Jos. My oldest son, and his wife and children came down from Ogden for a visit; and on my 62nd birthday, Dec. 5th Rebecca Dennett gave birth to a daughter, who they named Clarrie, which was my 20th grandchild. We have had a very dry season crops are late, grapes are poor, but I had 1200 pounds of dried fruit mostly peaches. There had been a great amount of sickness, and many deaths of old and young; and tho it is now cool winter weather, sickness still is prevalent, Dec. 15th 1877. Jan. 1878, set in very cold. I went to St. George to work in the temple for the dead, and on the 29th of Jan. I was baptized for 8 men and E. A. Cox for 9 women; and on the 19th of Feb. my wife got to St. George to help to work for the dead; she had to tarry at home on account of sickness. My son Hosea’s wife had a son born on the 10th of Feb. 1878, who they named Hosea Fisk, my 21st grandchild. On the 26th I was baptized for 12 more of the dead, which made 90 in all that I had been baptized for. My wife was baptized for 13 the same day, and we went into the temple every day that they worked for two weeks, but I had been working five weeks before she came. We got home on the 3rd of Feb. having done for 34 by the help of other sisters. I also had Margaret and Rachel Stout and Elizabeth Dillen [sic] who are dead, sealed to me on the 21st of Feb. 1878. I have not been able to do hard work this spring, but have written my letters to different states to try to get records of our dead friends, and I have succeeded in getting some. I have now been fourty [sic] years, the 22nd of April, in the Church. I have been throu [[sic] mobs, suffered privations of sickness, hunger, poverty and been robbed and driven from state to state, and from the United States to the Rocky Mts., seen my family and friends fall as martyrs by the way in consequence of the hardships they had to undergo. But I have been spared to see a House reared to h the name of the Most High God and have been permitted to enter therein and officiate for the living and the dead. And I pray that I may yet be able to do a work in that house which will be a great blessing to my posterity and my ancestors, as well as many who are friends, not relations only by the common ties of humanity. For I am willing to do good to any one who are within my each, so far as I have strength to do. But I labor in great pain most of the time. There has been a great amount of sickness of late diphtheria, chills and fever, with considerable number of deaths, mostly children. It is now the 25th day of Apr. 1878 and I am trying to get ready to go to St. George but we are so busy trying to raise a crop of corn and cane that I do not know when I can get off. David my fifth son is lame with rheumatism; his wife gave birth to a dau [daughter]. May the 4th 1878. They called her name Henrietta. My daughter-in-law had a very bad time; she had several chills with inflammation of the womb, and was soon in recovering from her confinement. her mother, Henrietta Cox came up from St. George to stay all summer with her; she is now doing well June 1st. July 17th 1878, I have had three chills of ague; they come every other day. I am very weak, but before I get any weaker I want to write a great many things. I want to record many names in my temple book, who I design to be baptized for if time and opportunity affords me, and if I never get it done, I hope some of my children will be inspired to continue my work for it is as much their duty as it is mine when they have the opportunity. I still hope to be able to go to St. George this fall and work all winter in the Temple, but the wane of means of subsistence is the great draw back which hinders me from working for the dead, but I pray God to remove every obstacle that hinders me from performing that work and give me faith to overcome the power of the Destroyer, so as to do a greater work in His House than I have yet had time to get done. And I do believe that I shall yet do much in the work of the redemption of the human family, whether in the flesh acting for the dead, or preaching the Gospel to the spirits in prison. My wife got a fall which has made her very lame, but I hope she will soon be well again. I was taken in Sept. with chills and fever and have not been able to do any hard work all winter; but I finally got a little better in the spring, so that on the 11th of Mar. 1879 I started for St. George, and on the 13th I got to Isaiah Cox’s and on the 14th I commenced to work in the temple for the dead, and I have been working in the temple ever since. But I continued to have chills for some time; but I was baptized for my health when I went into the font to be baptized and I continued to do so until I got rid of the chills for four weeks, and then they returned again and I have had two more. I learned yesterday that John Henry was sick, and that Marion had been taken with a fit and then with chills a fever but I was unable to walk but little; I could not go home; I have only strength enough to get back and forth to and from the temple and do the work for the dead, which I pray that I may continue to be able to perform until the Temple is closed the last day of June. On the 9th of June 1879, I was in the upper rooms of the Temple to do some work, I got a letter from my wife and she said that David had the rheumatism and Marion had the chills. I still continued ordinance work until Marion got well enough for my wife to come to the temple. And on the 16th we went up and attended to some ordinance work for ourselves and the dead. Amanda then returned home, but I stayed and continued my work until May 30th when I got so sick of chills and fever that I could no do ordinance work any longer, so Bro. W.G McMillian brought me as far on my way home as his house in Harrisburg, where I staid two nights an on the 1st of June he sent his son to take me to Toquerville in a carriage. I could see the smoke of Silver Reef when it was in flames. My son David and wife came home from St. George and I came from Toquerville with them on the 2nd of June 1879. But I continued to have the chills for many weeks after. I got home and my family were one after another taken with the ague, and nearly all of the folks in Rockville were sick in the course of the summer and fall. In so much that there were scarcely well ones enough to save the crops of fruit and other produce. My son Alfred’s wife gave birth to a daughter on the 18th of Aug. 1879, and their called her name Louisa Melvina, and on the 18th of Sept. 1879 my daughter Amanda M. F. was married to Lewis Wilson Stout, my brother’s son. This is now the 18th of Oct. 1879. There are many still sick in town. On the 15th my little granddaughter Louisa Melvina died of chills and fever, and I soon took them again, and three of the children have them so we are very much afflicted, and so are many others of Rockville. Nov. 1st, 1879. I am now ready to go and work in the Temple, am very weak. I did not start until the 10th. I went with Bro. E. M. Green, but am still sick of chills and fever. We got to St. George the 13th but I was not able to go to the temple until the 19th. I then continued to go everyday that they worked until I went thru for thirty-nine dead, but it was all I could do to get back and forth to the Temple, it being 12 blocks of the city to walk each way. The weather this winter was the coldest that we ever have had in Dixie. My family still kept sick so my wife could not come to help me, but with my niece Elizabeth Ann Stout Cox, to assist me I did some considerable of work for the dead. Others of the Sisters also help me a great deal, so that I got the female work along. But I did some work for some of them in return. On the 18th of Feb. 1880 I started for home with Frank Batty; got to Toquerville to my daughters; next morning I was not able to go on. On the 20th rode home with H. Morris found my family sick and quite fatigued. I had been away three months and ten days. This was the longest spell I have ever taken working for the dead, for which privilege I thank my heavenly Father that I have had my life lengthened out to see a Temple finished and dedicated to His Holy Name and that I have had the privilege of officiating there in for the living and the dead. I feel thankful that he had opened the way for me to get some Genealogical books of our ancestors back 1000 years and I thank God that he has given unto me the spirit of Elijah the Prophet, to cause my heart to seek after a knowledge of my fore fathers. I thank Him for giving me relations (who do not understand the Gospel ) the spirit of searching for a record of the dead, thus enabling us who have embraced the gospel to obtain correct dates that we may be able to work for those who have died without the Gospel that they may come forth in the first resurrection and be made partakers of eternal life and be numbed with the Church of the First Born. Spring is cold and late; snow deep on the Mts. Many animals have died on the range, and sickness is still in our midst. A shocking murder was committed in the Ward on the 23rd of April, 1880, Sister Mary Parker and daughter of Alpheus Gifford who was amongst the first Elders in this Church. Jared Dalton has been arrested and sent to prison to await the action of the Grand Jury. He confessed to being guilty of the crime. My health is being poor. I concluded to go upon the Mts. Where my son Alfred and some others were building a saw mill. We started June the 1st and go there the 3rd. I was quite tired out when we got there. The road was new and rough and very steep and hard to get up. While I was there I put in turnips, carrots, potatoes, rootebago [sic], corn, beans, peas and radishes, all of which looked well when I left to come home. On the 31st of August I began to make a farm one mile above the mill. The land is very rich, but it lies high upon the mountains where the snow falls deep in the winter. I got home Sept. 2nd much improved in health, went to drying fruit which was ripe, and brings a good price. I am fixing to go to St. Geo. to work in the Temple. On the 7th of Sept. my daughter Amanda M. F. gave birth to her first born, a daughter, and called her name Amanda, and on the 18th my son Hosea’s wife gave birth to a daughter and they called her name Alice Louisa. I am able to work but have to endure a great deal of pain in my head, breast and various parts of my body. Old age is creeping on with its many aches and infirmities, but I pray God my heavenly Father to give me faith to yet live to do some more ordinance work in His Holy Temple for the living and the dead, which is my chief object and greatest desire of my heart. This is the 31st of Oct. 1880. Soon after this I went to St. Geo. and worked in the Temple but was afflicted with chills and fever all winter so as to be hardly able to get to the Temple and back again. But thru faith and the blessings of God I worked on and did ordinance work for scores of the dead. On the 23rd of Feb. 1881, my son David’s wife gave birth to a son and called his name David Fiske; and after getting rid of the chills and fever, which lasted fifteen months, my old fever sores became very bad, so that I could not do ordinance work in the Temple until May 1882. I started to St. George but on arriving at Toquerville I found my little grandson Sanford Bliss dying of Diphtheria. I stopped and stayed a few days with my daughter Lydia and returned home and was very feeble all summer, but worked in my orchard and vineyard, dried my fruit, made my wine and did all I could to help my family; but my children helps me to fire wood and breadstuff and many other things. On the 21st of Nov. 1882 my daughter Rebecca gave birth to a son; we called his name John. On the 12th of Dec., my son-in-law Norman Ingles Bliss, was thrown off a load of hay and crushed to death under the wagon wheels. My wife and I and some six others of the family went to Toquerville to the funeral. He was buried on the 13th. And on the 15th my daughter Lydia, his wife, gave birth to a son whom we called Alfred Fisk Bliss. My wife and I tarried ten days with our daughter, who seemed to be getting along quite well. So we returned home in time to attend the celebration of the Anniversary of the Prophet Joseph Smiths birth on the 23rd. I am only able to write by spells, when I am not coughing. This is Jan 8th 1883, and I am trying to write up my Temple record and other records which are very much behind since I had the chills so long. For I have been too week and trembly [sic] to write much for two years past and am but little better now. On the 11th of Jan. 1883 I began to write and transcribe my old records into the big book that my children presented to me on my 57th birthday, it cost them $11.50; and it is a priceless treasure to me more valuable than a costly jewel. I continue to write all I was able to each day, and when I get tired I leave off writing and go to work a while. The weather is being very cold for Dixie; the ditches are frozen up and not much work is being done. Jan. 19, 1883. The weather keeps very cold; we never had so cold a winter in Dixie. My fever sores keeps very bad that I do little, only make a few baskets. On the 6th of Mar. I went to Toquerville and stayed two weeks and pruned a vineyard for my daughter Lydia and made twelve dollars worth of baskets; then returned home and finished pruning my vineyard and orchard, and set out some more. my sores are healed up and if I keep able to go to St. George soon to work in the temple. My son A. J. Fiske had returned from Sampete with a load of flour. He was gone three weeks. We have fine weather now; have had a good rain, and an early spring. This is Apr. 1st 1883. We have had cold, wet weather but not much frost in this month, the fruit is not all destroyed, but some places it is nearly all gone. My health still improved since I have quite tea, coffee, and bacon, and live on graham bead. I expect to start the 1st of May to the temple. My son Hosea’s wife gave birth to another daughter on the 19th of April, 1883, and called her name Laura. May 1st 1883, I started for St. Geo., with E. Huber. Got to Toquerville, stayed all night with my daughter Lydia M. F. Bliss. On the 2nd went to Leeds, stopped with Isaiah Cox till about 4 o’clock ; got in Lester Hendricks wagon; set out to St. George. A. P. Hardy and he were drunk. We go to St. Geo. by 10 o’clock p.m. found my niece and family all asleep, but their daughter Mary who was reading the Scottish Cheifs [sic] . May 3rd went to the temple and worked for the dead, but was so lame in consequence of having to ride in the wagon they day before over the rough road that I could scarcely get back and forth to and from the temple; but no with standing my lameness I went each day, and done ordinance work for the dead, and never missed a day until the quarterly Conference, which was the 15th and 17th of June. During which time we got some 100 or more endowments for the dead. My wife came and worked two weeks in the Temple; and son David F. one week, and a considerable number of sealings and adoptions done for my wife’s ancestors,. And I did all I could with the help of my niece, and hired all the help I could make pay for; and some of the sisters helped mw without pay; so I got a good amount of work done for the length of time I stayed. I went thru 20 times myself for the dead; and was baptized for 18 men with the help of Warren Cox, who was baptized for 19 and his mother my niece, was baptized for 78 which was all the record I had ready. Conference convened in the Tabernacle at 10 o’clock, June 16th 1883, and much of the Holy Spirit was made manifest during the two days conference continued. Elder Erastus Snow one of the Twelve bore a strong testimony of the truth of the Latter day work, and in particular of the revelation and Joseph Smith’ teaching on celestial marriage in Nauvoo, 1845. Many of these things I was cognisan [sic] of at the time, and have been familiar with ever since. Monday June 18th. My wife and I se out for home with S. R. Gifford; stayed all night with our daughter Lydia M. F. Bliss in Toquerville, arrived home on the 19th and found our children well and anxiously watching for us. David had come home a week or so before. I went to work at hoeing out my vineyard and other truck but was not able to work but a few hours a day. My breast was so weak that I soon gave out and had to quit. I am now beginning to dry fruit, which will perhaps take two months to get it done. this is the 18th of Aug. 1883. My fruit turned out well and I had to work hard to dry it without losing any of it, for neither my wife or I were well, but we worked hard and got it all saved. We had about 1500 or a little over of dried fruit -- peaches, apples and plums, and 68 gallons of wine off less than an acre of land, besides lucern for our cow, calf and pigs, and I am now ready to go back to St. Geo. and work two weeks in the temple. This is Nov. 3rd 1883. I went to St. Geo. and worked two weeks, in the Temple, and was taken with a chill which lasted three days, and I was entirely helpless, and my niece wrote to my wife for her to send a team after me. So my son David come and put me in the wagon; and when we go to my daughter Lydia’s at Toquerville, they had to lift me out of the wagon and carry me into the house. The next morning I was put back into the wagon, and we came home, where I have been gaining some but have frequent relapses, and as I am lingering along between life and death, and some days I can walk to the postoffice [sic] and get my papers and read the news and learn how the world is gliding along; and thru I see full-fillment [sic] of Joseph Smiths predictions of judgment that should have come upon the work if they rejected the Gospel. We are having an unusual amount of rain and snow; the streams are unusually high, sweeping everything on the low lands of the rivers, even the Rio Virgin on which we live, is very full. I am now getting ready to go to St. Geo. again for I determined to do all I can in the Temple, and attend the Quarterly Stake Conference. On Mar. 14th we went to the Temple and had Lydia our daughter adopted; and she had her children Fanny Melvina and Norman Ingles adopted and sealing done. On the 15th we all went to the Tabernacle to meeting where we heard much valuable teachings thru our two days conference. Bishop C. M. Smith presented J. C. Hall’s and my name in the priesthood meeting to be ordained High Priests, and they voted to receive us and I was ordained under the hands of Wm. Faucett, President of the High Priests Quorum, on the 1st day of May 1884. I continued working in the Temple every day for three months and a week, during which time I was ordained an Elder and endowed for 40 men and I got the sisters to endow perhaps twice as many dead women, and had the most of them sealed, and my wife was anointed for a dead Aunt. While I was in St. Geo. Elder Taylor and a member of Elders came from Salt Lake and held a two days meeting, and we were blessed with much good instruction, and the Spirit of the Lord was poured out in great abundance. I also attended two lectures by A. Ivins on Mexico, which were very interesting. On the 14th and 15th of June I attended the quarterly Conference and my son David and wife came also, and we had much valuable teachings from apostles Erastus Snow and John W. Taylor and others, bishops and Elders. And my daughter-in-law helped me work for the dead; my niece E. A. Cox, and many others assisted me in working for the dead, so that I got something like 100 dead endowed. I have about a long list of names yet that are not endowed. I have about 1660 on my book baptized for, but not one half of them endowed and sealed. My son Alfred came down with a team, and I came home with him. I got home the 19th of June, 1884. While I was in St. Geo. I was baptized for my health three times, and the last time for the renewal of my covenant, which I had long desired to do but did not know it would be in order to do it in the Font. They also permit children to be baptized in the Font at 8 years old. When I got home I found my wife, children and grandchildren all well. this is the 24th of June, 1884. July 4th 1884, we had a celebration and enjoyed ourselves the bet we could the weather being hot is very oppressive to me. July 15th I am not able to do any hard work, but am drying my apricots, we have but few of the. I continued working and drying fruit and making a few baskets, but was very feeble and easy overcome with fatigue. I had a good crop of peaches which was great blessing for it brought us clothing and groceries to make us quite comfortable but before we were done drying fruit I was taken sick and agathering [sic] or felon on my right hand, which has so crippled it that I only can hold a pen with thrum and one finger, which makes it very difficult for me to write. My hand was very painful all winter; it had proud flesh in it so it would not heal up for a long time; and I was very weak and not able to get round much and sometimes has chills, but when the storms ceased and the weather cleared up I got some better. My boys put up a nice picket fence in front o f my place, which greatly improved the looks of the place. On the 9th of Mar, 1885, my son Allen J. F. and his wife went to St. Geo. and took me with them. We worked three days in the Temple before conference, and then after conference they returned home and I stayed and worked four weeks longer, so I worked fifteen days in the Temple this time, which makes 211 days I have been working for the dead since the temple was dedicated in 1877, besides the hundreds I have been baptized for and got others to do for me; altogether about 1600. On the 11th of Apr. I started for home because the weather was wet and I had spells of being chilly, and it was difficult for me to continue my labor in the Temple and my son Hosea come and brought me home; and I got home Apr. 12th and found all well; but I was tired when I got home, for the roads are so rough to ride over. and now Apr. 18th, I am very weak and not able to work. Apr. 20th, 1885. Rainy and cool. I will write a little concerning the signs of the times - the nations of the earth are in commotion, and are on the point of going to war against each other; and some of them are already at war with the judgments of God being poured out upon them. Pestilence, famine, tornadoes, earthquakes, and fire as the Prophets have declared it should be before the coming of the Lord; and the gospel is being preached as a witness to that men may be left without excuse when he comes to take vengeance upon those who reject the words of life when offered to them by the servants of God. And the faithful servants of God are being persecuted for keeping the commandments of God; and they are being cast into prisons and hunted like wild beasts because they will not forsake the cause of Christ and comply with an unconstitutional law of the land, which was gotten up on purpose to punish the Saints for living their religion. But they have a short time to do their work of persecution, for the time is night when the Son of God will come and deliver His Saints from their enemies. On the 15th of May I started for St. Geo. with J. F. Langton,[sic], we crossed the river and camped on the west side below the Berry Springs. On the 16th we got to St. Geo. at 2 o’clock p.m. and I got a telegram from home that my wife fell and broke her leg, so I started for home and we got as far and Harrisburg and camped all night and O, the anxiety of my mind that night, for I thot [sic] of my wife and her broken leg and how I had doted on having a chance to work for the dead until Conference, which would be for four weeks. Then I said in my heart O how uncertain are all human calculation; but I will acknowledge thy hand Lord in all things; and I will trust in thy Holy name, for thou hast saved me from many dangers; and Thou hast delivered me from my enemies, and from prison walls and thou hast raised me up from low beds of sickness many times when my friends despaired of my life and thought I would never see another morning sun. But I have lived to see a Temple reared to the name of the Most High God and thru His mercy and long suffering have been permitted to administer for hundreds of those who died without the Gospel of Christ over saluting their ears, for which I think the name of His Beloved Son that he will raise my wife up from her bed of affliction and give us opportunity of administering in the holy ordinance for hundreds more. God it is for this that my life has been lengthened out to near three score and ten; for it was said to me near 41 years ago by the authority the Holy Priesthood that I should redeem my dead friends and bring them up in the first resurrection and rule over them. So it behooves me to be on the watch tower, for Satan strives to hinder the servants of God from performing those duties that are enjoined upon the; and I do not know but it was his work to try to hinder me from administering for the dead that caused my wife to be hurt, but if so the Lord will over rule to His own glory, and we will yet be able to do some good, if we are only faithful to our covenants. My health still keeps poor, but I am able to water my orchard and go to my sons David’s and help to take care of my wife, for she is down there for the present; and I stay part of the time at home to take care of the place. July 24th, 1885. My wife had got a little better so we brought her home, she could walk a few steps by the aid of crutches, but she suffers very much, and I think that one bone in her let is not et right for it seeps very much swollen and painful. My son Allen J. F. had a son born on the 22nd of Aug. 1885, and called his name Lamar. Dec. 5th 1885 my children got up a good dinner for me on my 70th birthday; and over half of my children and grandchildren were present. Jan. 1, 1886. My wife is very lame yet. And on the 16th my sister Anna Millet died age 29 years 24 days, and I was too feeble to go to her burial, it being a rainy day. My son Hosea’s wife gave birth to a daughter on the 10th of Dec. 1885, which is my 46th grand child. I am able to keep up the most of the time, but can work but little, and it is with difficulty that I write for my hand is so near helpless. I cough so much that it makes me weak, and I tremble so that I am not able to do but little. I work making baskets all I can and I am trying to raise a garden of vegetables. This the 25th of Apr. 1886, and the Saints are being persecuted, and many of them are in prison because they will not renounce their religion, and as the president says, “ Become like the rest of us.” that is not to marry women and raise children in honorable wedlock, but debauch them and forsake them and let them provide for the Bastards the best they can. This nation is increasing in wickedness as fast as they can, and the judgments of God are being poured out upon them; as Joseph foretold it would be after the Gospel was preached to they; and they rejected it; and the Saints are being tried and sifted to see who will stand faithful and who will falter and back out when the day of trial comes. And some of them have backed out and denied the faith while many are steadfast and prefer to go to prison rather than turn their backs on the cause of truth and righteousness. June 20th 1886. I started to St. Geo. with S. R. Gifford, and got there at 10 o’clock in the Tabernacle. Julia Cox went on a visit with us and returned with Bro. Gifford, and I staid and worked two weeks in the Temple. On the 22nd I was baptized for my health, and 12 dead men and got sister Louisa to be baptized for 11 women, and I was endowed for six men and sealed six time in the two weeks, and 13 females endowed by the kindness of the sisters which made a good two weeks work; and I was well pleased with what had been accomplished, and then I began to seek a chance to get home again. and I worked all I could at making baskets; and I asked God my Heavenly Father to provide a way for me get home as the Temple was closed until the 1st of Sept. And a Bro. Jenson from Sanpete let me ride with him to Grapevine Springs; and while I was getting my things our of the Jensens [sic] wagon, D. Morris drove up and let me ride with him to Grafton and I walked the two miles home by moonlight. I found my family tolerable well, but the weather is very hot and dry. I think my Heavenly Father for this blessing which he as granted me of once more entering His Holy house and administering in the ordinances of the Holy Priesthood for myself an for the dead; and I pray that I may be able to return next fall and resume my work again. I have now been endowed for 217 dead; and I know not how many sealings and baptisms have been performed. They are many hundreds, for I have at it nearly ten years off and on as circumstances would permit. July 15th. I am now well enough to work a little but soon give out and have to stop and rest; but I soon get over begin tired, and then I can go to work again. I am getting ready to start to Panguitch lake with my daughter Rebecca and family to try and catch some fish. yesterday, July the 24th we went up to Springdale to celebrate Pioneer day. I am as well as I have been for months. we had a very enjoyable time and all felt well; and we made ready and started for Panguitch Lake. On the 26th we got to Toquerville and camped at the ditch west of Town and Alfred came up and camped with us, and took the road to Beaver. We went up. The second day we all rolled on up to Kanarro [sic] Lake and camped for the night; roads good. the third day we got opposite Johnson Fort, or Encoh, as it is now called, and camped on the bench. On the fourth day we got to Parawan about 3 or 4 o’clock p.m. and traded some with William Fowler, and staid there all night. The 5th day we all got to Paragoonah and there Alfred took the road to Beaver and we went up Little creek and got in 2 miles of Bare Lake and made dry camp. Sixth day went on to the Lake and watered the team and went on down thru Bear Valley and down the Sevier River to Keslers [sic] and on hearing there were many folks at Panguitch Lake and no chance to rent a boat, we gave up there; it being sun. The 7th day we lay up at Keslers; the 8th day we set out down the Sevier River in search of a chance to trade for wheat. I found the Sevier Valley much wider in places than I have ever imagined it to be, Circle Valley is a large nice Valley, and Marysvale is much larger than I had any expectation of seeing any valley on the River. But when we crossed over the point of Mt. to Monroe City, there my surprise was still greater; five miles further is Elsinore City; six miles from Monroe more westward is Joseph City, and nine miles below Elsinore is Richfield - a still larger city, besides some smaller ones. A little off the road, two miles, in a small town-Sante [sic]. Sunday, lay up at George Oglivys [sic] and after getting loaded up with about 8000 pounds of flour, some bacon and cheese, 1200 lbs. of horse feed, we got ready to start home, I went out and stair one night with my daughter, Martha Ann, and then started up Clear Creek; but Dennett got a young man by the name of Ross to take a ton of flour to the head of the creek, and it began to rain and rained every day so we were three days getting over o Cove Fort, and the roads in places were a perfect lake, and we got on very slowly until we reached Beaver, and there we had to lay up four days, and it rained until everything was in a float; and Buck Horn Valley was a lake. Alfred overtook us at Beaver and we traveled together to Hambletown [sic], and he left his wagon there and took his team upon the Mt. where his family were at the saw mill; and we pushed on for home; on the 26th of Aug. I was gone one month, and I then went to drying fruit, and we have had good weather, and I have worked hard at it. Alfred’s Minerva died of croup of the 22nd of Oct. he was in Manti at the time, but he had got his family down off the Mt. David is Penn., preaching the gospel. I have been writing a letter to him this Oct. 29th 1886; and I am able to write and do a few chores. Thanks to my Heavenly Father, I still keep alive to work a little every day, but am easy to tire out, and have to rest often. I have been reading a letter from my son David who is now in Penn. and is well. This Nov. the 7th, and our Ward meeting is at 2 o’clock today, when all the wards are expected to attend, it being the first Sunday in the Month. But as there is a funeral at Springdale, some of the folks are there. it is Alpheus Gifford’s child that is dead. And there are many children sick of the croup some think it is diphtheria; and today, Nov. 9th another child at Springdale is dead; it Almon [sic] Draper’s child, and he and is wife are at St. Lake City. The school has stopped because of so much sickness among the children. My Marion has a cold and coughs very bad, but the weather is damp and changeable, so that nearly everyone is more or less affected with colds. I received a letter from Allen J. F. from Panaca; they had another son born Nov. 4th and called his name ______________. I have had the headache some of the time so I do not try to work. Nov. 12th, the weather is clear and colder, and the school has begun again, but there are still some children sick. Nov. 16th, 1886, Alfred got home; the weather is cold and windy 17th and 18th, still cold but clear and fine for out door work. Milton hauls one load of flood wood each day so as to get ahead, so he can go to school. The marshals are making raids on the settlements and arresting men, and putting women under bond to appear as witnesses against their husbands and fathers, but as yet they have not come to our little village. 19th and 20th. some warmer. 21st, rainy and some snow. Hosea started north yesterday for bread stuff; looks like it was going to be a long storm, too muddy to go to meeting. Nov. 22nd. Snowed last night; clear today; snow off on the leves don't thaw in the shed. Milton started to school. I am well but do not try to work, but read the most of the time. I take the Semi-Weekly News, Pomeroy Democrat, Bolton Globe, Southern Utonian [sic] , Juvenile Instructor, which make considerable of reading, and some times I read the Woman’s Exponent and the New York Sun, which I borrow of my children. So I can keep posted on the topics of the times and the many events that daily transpire among the nations of the earth. Hosea left his wagon at Toquerville and came home to wait until the weather clear up. Bro. Hall got home from the city on the 25th, and we got our goods for peaches, which he took, which will help us out for clothing this winter. I subscribe for the Desert News for next year. Retta got a card from David, he was at Kanesville, Ohio when he wrote, Nov. 27th clear and pleasant. Nov. 28th and 29th still warm and clear. Nov. 30th. I am as well as I have been for a long time because I have not been at work. When I keep still and do not over do myself I feel quite well, but when I go to work I soon give out, and do not accomplish much for my strength is nearly gone. Dec. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, 1886 -- Still warm and pleasant. on the 4th I was not well and staid in the house. Dec. 5th - Looks like rain. This is my Birthday I am no 71 years old; and although I have had so much sickness in my life and passed thru so many hard times, I am still able to be around, and I can read the news of the day; and I see by the sight of the times; and I also know by the voice of inspiration that the day of calamity of the nations of the earth, and especially of this nation so near at hand. The secret combinations which will soon prove the downfall of the nations and making great headway in every land where the Gospel has been offered to the people; for the great masses of them have turned a deaf ear to the warnings and maltreators [sic] of the servants of God who have been sent to them; but they will be left without excuse when the judgments of God shall sweep them off. Dec. 6th, 1886. I took the tithing chickens to the Bishop. Still looks like storming, and I am very rheumatic. I planted some hazel nuts that David sent us and I feel so much better that I though I would try and go to St. George to the Quarterly Conference. So on the 9th I started and took Huldah and we went with Alfred and Hosea and some of their children. We staid and attended the meetings on the 11th and 12th, and received much valuable instruction from Apostles John Henry smith an Heber J. Grant, and many others of the Elders. Sun. night I was at J. Cox’s and was taken with a chill, and was so sick the next day that they did not try to start home with me’ but Tues. the 14th they brought me as far as Leeds, and we staid at B. Y. McMullins. I was very weak and coughed and had no appetite. Wed. 15th, we got home a 9:30 p.m. I was very weak and I found my wife quite unwell, but she kept up, for she will not give up as long as she can stand on her feet. I have been sick ever since I got home with a pain in my side, breast and head and the consumption is using up my vitals; and I feel as my days were nearly ended. The weather is clear and pleasant. this is Dec. the 27th, and I am a little better. Dec. 28th and 29th. I am better-- do no cough so hard. The choir had a dance on the 30th, and I went and listened to the music a few hours. Dec. 31st. No so well as yesterday. Jan. 1, 1887. The weather is warm and clear-- a little frost of nights. Rebecca had a son born on the 29th, which I should have noted in the proper place, and they call his name ________ Jan 2nd. This is the day for monthly meeting, but my cough is so bad that I did not go, and I am here alone, and am not well enough to write but little. Jan. 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, my cough still continues. Jan 7th. Marion got a kick from a horse which nearly broke his shoulder; we had to set up his nearly most of the night. Jan. 8th. Marion got up and around, but his shoulder is so bad he cannot raise his hand above his head. I am better of my cough; my wife is not well she is afflicted with boils, and her broken leg pains her very much. Jan. 9th. I cannot go to meeting I was taken suddenly with a pain in my right side so I could scarcely draw a breath, and when I had to cough it seemed to tear my side and stop my breath, and it got worse and worse until it seemed as tho I could not live. And on the 11th, it was but little better. On the 12th I was a little better, but Huldah got a bad fall on the frozen round and sprained her wrist, and hut her otherwise. It was done by boys putting a pole across the sidewalk on purpose to trip someone as they came home from choir practice in the dark. Fanny Bliss also fell and got bruised badly. We had to be up a good part of the night with Huldah. Marion’s shoulder is doing well. 3rd, I am much better. Huldah arm is very bad. 14th - I am able to write a little and Huldah[']s arm is better but she cannot use her hand to write or comb her hair. The weather keeps clear and nice, a little frost every night but warm and pleasant during the day. Jan 15th 1885. John’s wife presented him with a son this morning, 6:15 a.m. it weighed 9 lbs. and they called his name Walter. I walked down to Dennetts [sic] and back, but it tired me very much. Sunday 16th. Weather still warm and clear. now they are all gone to meeting and I am alone so will write some, but I am so trembly [sic] that it is difficult for me to do it. I want to write several letters if I can. 17th and 18th, Weather warm and clear; I am still gaining a little strength. 19th. I was taken with a pain in my neck, head and breast and I got worse so I could hardly set up. Jan 20th. I am still very bad and so weak that I can scarcely write. We had a small shower of rain last night. my wife is not well; she has a bad cold, but she keeps up and still does the work so that the children can go to school. Jan. 21st. I am a little better; I have been writing some to some of the Stouts in Ohio, but I have to stop to cough often. Jan. 22nd. Still gaining a little. On the 23rd. Not able to go to meeting. Mon. 24th. Lydia had a Rag bee and I went down and took dinner with her. Jan 25th. My wife and I are writing letters to our children who live a distance from us. The weather is a little colder, but clear and pleasant. Jan. 26th. I am still able to keep up, but cannot do anything but read and write a little; and I am so tired of being confined to the house and not able to work. But I am thankful that I am not in much pain as I was a few days back; for I can rest some of the nights. The Lord be praised for his mercies; but it is very irksome to me to be confined to the house so steady for I want to be at work and be doing some good; but I must be patient and suffer the Lords will and all will come out right in the end; and I shall gain an experience, which is the object of this life. Mon. 30th. I still keep about the same; and the weather is still clear and pleasant. Feb. 2nd 1887. I feel better than I have for some time but still very weak. Feb. 3rd. This is fast day, and my wife and some of the children have gone to meeting and I am too weak to go so I will try to write and call on the name of my Father in heaven in the name of His beloved Son that he will have compassion on us, and turn away the wrath of our enemies that they may not have power to accomplish their object, which is to put a stop to the work of the Lord in the gathering of Israel and building up the Kingdom of God on the earth. “Our Father wilt thou give they Saints power to put away everything from their midst that which is evil and which hinders them from becoming united, so that they may have the spirit at all times to be their constant guide so that they may be saved from the power of all their enemies, and be able to keep All the commandments which they have received and no power be able to hinder they, and that we may escape the many calamities and judgments which are being poured out upon the nations of the earth. Feb. 14th an 15th - it looks like rain. 6th. It rained a little last night. This monthly meting I have to stay at home. there are millionaries [sic] here, they are J. G. Bleak, of St. George, A. Dodge, and J. Hale, of Toquerville, and Wilkinson of Leeds. They called in and sat with me awhile this morning. Feb. 7th. I was much pleased to have them call and hear them speak of the blessings of God and his dealings with his children. Feb. 8th. Cloudy; Looks like rain. I wrote a letter to David. I got a letter from Allen yesterday with a ten dollar bill in it. Feb. 8th 1887. My fever sore is very much inflamed and painful. A great many children are sick of colds and croup, my wife went to set with a sick child of Lemmons [sic] and it died about 12 o’clock; it had the croup. Feb. 10th. Snowed some and is windy and looks like more storm. 11th and 12th. My leg is so painful I cannot rest. The weather is pleasant; a little frost at night. Feb. 13th. Rained last night and looks like more rain. My leg is very bad discharged blood and matter; I have to stay in doors, but the rest of the family are gone to Sun. S. and meeting it is so confining to be thus housed up. Feb. 14th. This is A. J. F. Stout’s birthday. My fever is very bad. Feb. 15th. I am gaining strength but not able to walk much so I set and read and meditate on the signs of the times, and the fulfillment of the words of the prophets, wars and rumors of wars; the nations of the earth marshaling their forces for the deadly combat which is sure to come ere long. 16th and 17th. We had had some rain and snow, but still warm, only a little frost of nights. 18th and 19th and 20th. My leg is getting a little better, but still very painful. Feb. 21st. Very cold and clear; I did not rest good list night; I was chilly and got but little sleep. My wife set up all night with a neighbors sick child. 22nd and 23rd. Snowed some and turned cold and froze the ditch over. Still sickness among the children, my leg is very painful. Thursday, Feb. 24th. My wife is out with a sick child part o the time. We have a little snow nearly every night. Feb. 25th. More snow, but sleet. This morning I am some better than I have been for some time. Sat. 26th. My wife set up all night with the child, it died this morning, and they are fixing to bury it. Still cold but clear. Feb. 27th. Two more of the neighbors children taken sick with something like diphtheria. Mon. Feb. 28th. I commenced to prune my vineyard and orchard, the weather been warm and clear, and my health still gaining. Tue., Mar 1st, 1885. I am pruning grape vines all I can but can only work a little while and then rest; I am so weak I know not how to turn or manage to keep up, for I no longer earn a living by hard work, as I have always had to do, for I give out in a few minutes when I try to work. mar. 2nd. I work in my vineyard, but oh how tired I am, but I must work or my vineyard will run wild, and I no means of a living only my little orchard and vineyard. Thurs. Mar. 3rd. My folks are gone to fast meeting, but I do not feel able to do so. I will try to fast and pray in my own house, for I feel as if it was a time for all to humble themselves before the lord and call on his name in might prayer that He will deliver us from those who are oppressing us and trying to destroy us from off the earth. O Lord our God wilt Thou hear our prayer and deliver us out of the hands of the Gentiles and help us to keep thy laws, and cease our covetousness and pride; and strive with or mights to build up thy kingdom and warn the nations of the judgments that are coming up them. Sun. Mar. 6th. I feel better than I have the most of the winter. mar. 4th and 5th. I pruned grape vines part time and read news papers and books to pass away the time, but suffer much pain. As this is our monthly meeting I went, and we had a full house and a good meeting. I was tired when I got home. The weather is warm and clear, and the orchards begin to bloom. mar. 7th and 8th. I still gain a little so I can do a little work; it is warm and clear. Sept. 9th. I had a chill last night, and today my breast is painful, and my head aches and it is all that I can do to set up. The weather is warm and clear. mar. 10th and 11th and 12th. Still warm and clear, the trees are in bloom, and the air is fragrant with the odors of spring. mar. 13th. I coughed so much last night that I am very weak and trembly [sic] ; but I want to say something to my children; after I leave them; I want some of you to see to having the adoption of myself and my fathers family. if you Uncle Hosea does not do it in his life, then I want to be adopted to Joseph smith the father of the prophet, for I was well acquainted with him and I always thot [sic] he was as good a man as ever lived. But if I should live to do that work myself, I will leave it on record. but it is getting difficult to do work in the Temple now and I know not how soon it will be closed for a season and my mortal is drawing to a close; my work seems nearly ended; but I shall then commence a greater and more glorious work, and not be loaded down with this mortal clay which I been burdened with for three score and nearly twelve years. I long to meet the wife of my youth, my little ones and my father and mother and my many relatives and friends, who are beyond the veil; the hundreds for who I have been baptized and received the washings and anointings [sic] and sealings for in the sanctuary of our God. O how I think and praise the name of the great Giver of all blessings for the privilege that he has vouched safe unto me to go into his holy house and there partake of that sweet, heavenly influence which always pervades in the house of the Lord. I went to meeting and was tired when I got home; and leg is very painful. Mar. 14th I went to the postoffice [sic] , got my paper and a letter form Martha Ann; she is nearly helpless with something like dropsy in her feet and legs. Mar. 15th. I worked a little on my lot; set out a few trees, but soon gave out; it is warm and clear; trees in full bloom shed a fragrant delicious smell as you walk the streets. Mar. 16th. I am still a little better and trying to work and write a little. 17th. I am no so well today; it is clouding up like it is going to storm. 18th. I worked on my lot a little but could not do much. 19th. I got a letter Amanda and Lew has gone to work on the RR in Co. 300 miles off. Still warm and clear; all nature looks gay and sweet perfume fills the air. Sun. Mar 20th. I am all alone; my folks are all gone to meeting, and I can write better than when there is a noise, for I am weak and nervous. I have been reading the Book of Mormon; I have read it thru in three weeks besides reading the several newspapers which I take. on the 21st. God a letter from A. J. F . Stout; he weighs 240 lbs. Mar. 22nd. cold wind but no frost to hurt the fruit. mar. 23rd 1887. My breast hurts as much when I try to cop a little stove wood or do any kind of work that takes my strength or exertion to perform; and I am discouraged about trying to earn anything to nourish my weak system on; and I will trust in the lord to give me strength to endure my afflictions until he sees fit to release me from those scenes of sickness and pain. Mar. 24th and 25th. I am as well as I have been for some time. Mar. 26th I was taken with a chill yesterday evening and was sick all night, and am only able to set up today. My breast pains me severely, and I had no appetite for much food as I had: I need some sugar to sweeten something to nourish my system. Sunday, Mar. 27th. I have taken a little more nourishment today but my side and breast is bad. Mar. 28th. I still linger and suffer, but thanks to my Heavenly Father, my pain is not so acute as in former days, or I am so used to it that I can take comfort in the thot that my suffering must soon be over and I hope to soon be with those I love as dear as I do those whom I now have with me; and these will soon follow after me. I just read a letter from David; he is at Kirtland, Ohio. Mar. 29th. my leg is hurtin [sic] me; but I am so thankful I have a resting place in the society of the saints. I read in the papers the rumors of wars, earthquakes, pestilence, disasters by land and sea in fulfillment of the words of the prophets which predicted that these things would follow the preachings [sic] of the Gospel, and should be a sign of the coming of Christ and redemption of the House of Israel. Mar. 30th. Clear and pleasant; the enemy is still busy trying to imprison and harass the Saints. The Judges and Attorneys are trying to make the Saints believe that they cannot take the Test oat, so as to be able to vote or serve on a jury or hold any office. But the Saints think different and thus the enemy is baffled in their plans to usurp control of the Territory. mar. 21st. I feel better than I have for a good while except my leg, which is sore and painful. I chopped some wood and went to the postoffice [sic] and got the mail. Fri. Apr. 1st 1887. I was able to work some. April 2nd. Still able to work a little; done some grubbing and other chores; Sun. Apr. 3rd. I still gain a little strength, but my let is very disagreeable to bear; but my leg is very disagreeable to bear; but I walk on it without much trouble. I went to our monthly meeting where we received much good instruction on our political and every days affairs, how to act in order to thwart the purposes of our enemies and live the religion of Jesus Christ, so that we can have the Holy Spirit to be our constant guide. Mon. Apr. 4th. I made three baskets in the forenoon and red the papers in the afternoon. Apr. 5th. I worked at baskets and grubbed some on the lot and read the papers. My wife went to a Rag Bee. Apr. --th. I worked at basket making. 7th. I had the head ache and did not get up till 10 o’clock and the rest of the family went to fast Meeting. my breast was band and my leg was painful. Apr. 8th Rained and I feel some better, but my breast is very bad. Apr. 9th raining today, and I feel sore and full of pain; not much appetite to eat and what I do eat doesn’t seem to digest, but lies on my stomach, and I do not get hungry or want to eat for days, and I do not go out anymore that I can help. Mon. 11th. snowing and quite chilly and disagreeable. Apr. 12th. Some frost but not much harm done to fruit. Apr. 13th. I did not get up until 9 o’clock, and then could only set up and walk around a little. Apr. 14th. Still rainy, and I am full of aches and pains, but I red the paper and see the situation of the nations and realize their awful condition for the judgments of the Lord are being poured out daily on those who have rejected the gospel. Apr. 15th. my breast is bad; weather cloudy and a little colder. Apr. 16th. I made two baskets but was tired when I got them done. Sun. Apr. 17th. cloudy this morning; my breast hurts me so bad that I did not go to meeting but read in the Bible the most of the day. Apr. 18th. I worked at sawing off dry limbs off the orchard for stove wood, and was taken worse at night; it seemed as tho I could not breaths, my breast cramped and pained me so. Apr. 19th. I did not arise till none o’clock and eat but a few bites all day; was in great pain. Apr. 20th. Rested better last night; eat little gruel and bread, but still in such pain; but can read part of the time. O, how I want to be out at work this nice weather; but a few hours work makes me suffer so much and I get so little done that I get discouraged about trying to do any kind of work. Apr. 21st. My folks are all gone to meeting so I am all alone, but thank the lord I am able to set up and read the Scriptures and the newspapers, and contemplate the things of the kingdom of God. For all these blessing I thank my heavenly father, and pray that he will save us for the power of our enemies. Apr. 22nd. I arose at 9 o’clock and eat a little breakfast; I could go to the Sunday School exhibition, but staid at home and al the rest went. I am so weak that it is hard for me to write. Sat. Apr. 23rd. I am some better; but in so much pain. looks like it would storm soon. Sun. Apr. 24th, 1886. I went to meeting and was very tired when I got home; I am so week I cannot walk far before I give out. Apr. 25th. Clear and pleasant. Apr. 26th, 27th, 28th, 29, and 30th. I worked each day at making baskets all I could, and read the papers and the Bible. Sun. May 1st. 1887, Cold and windy but clear, so I did not go to meeting for fear of taking cold. may 2nd. Still cold, but no frost to hurt the fruit. I made three baskets and read the papers. I am gaining in strength and feel better that I have all winter. may 3rd and 4th. Still worked at making baskets. May 5th. I went to Fast meeting and heard much good teachings. may 6th and 7th. I worked at making baskets. on the 8th I went to meeting and rested and read newspapers. I made baskets all the week and was glad to rest on Sun. May 15th. I didn’t to meeting but staid at home reading papers and the Bible; but the rest of the family went to meeting. I worked all this week at making baskets, but was in great pain with a sore on my leg, and my breast and back was very painful. Sunday the 22nd 1887 May -- I went to meeting; Bro. George Soilsbury [Salsbury] preached; the weather was warm and dry. I had a good rest and read the papers; I was some better, and worked at basket making until Sun. June 5th, when D. McArthur came up and he and R. M. Bently [Bentley] preached and put in J. A. Smith, second counselor of the Bishop. I still worked at making baskets every day. on Thursday, June 9th 1887, my wife and a number of others started for St. Geo. to attend Conference. I am so thankful that I am able to work a little, but my eyes are so weak that I cannot red much. Tue. June 14th. My wife got home from Conference. She was sick all the time she was gone, and for a week or more after she got home; she was billious [sic] and could not keep anything on her stomach. Thurs. June 23rd. I commenced to put out apricots to dry. Fri. the 24th. This is Huldah[']s 15th birthday. I put out some apricots, and the heat overcome me very much. Sun. June 26th . I went to meeting and heard Mrs. D. Shipp speak; she also lectured to the ladies in their hall. She is a very nice speaker. I work every day at drying apricots. My wife is still stick. She has the dyspeplia [sic] and some symptoms of dropsy, but she up and works every day. This is July 8th, 1887 and the weather keeps hot and clear, but looks like raining on the Mrs. and I hear it thundering. The weather is still hot; and my wife still suffers with a pain in hr stomach. July 13th. thunder showers. Julia 14th. The hardest rain we have had for many months fell today. Sunday July 17th. still thundering and raining on the Mts. of nights; but still the weather was hot and we were at work -- all that was able to do at drying fruit; but my breast was bad at times and my wife got her ankle and wrist strained by falling; and the children was not well, so I had to work beyond my strength to save the fruit. And now Aug. 22nd 1887 our main crop of peaches are getting ripe; the early ones are nearly gone and we are very pushed; but I am better and I hope to be able to work until our fruit is dried. The weather was clear and we got our fruit dried without losing but very little; and we got a good price for it in cash and store goods. I also help to emigrate my wife[']s cousin Ellen R. Daly and her dau. [daughter] Phebe, from New York. they got here Oct. 16th, 1887, and we were very glad to see them, for I think they are good latter-day Saints, and I should be gad if I could do so to help many others to come out of Babylon and receive the blessings of the Holy Priesthood. We had had a nice fall for getting in the crops and are in a prosperous condition; but there is sickness in some of the settlements of the Saints, and the enemy is trying to destroy and rob us, but our trust is in the Lord our God, and we know that he will deliver us if we are faithful to the end, I am as well and able to work this fall as I been for several years. I observe a strict system of diet; have my meals regular; never eat late in the day. My chief diet is bread and sweetened water sometimes a little cayenne pepper in it and some vegetables and fruit, milk and butter. I use no narcotics nor swine’s flesh, and my stomach keeps in good order; and I have a good appetite, for which I thank my Heavenly Father, for I know it is by His blessing that I am able to keep up and I try to Observe the Word of Wisdom that he has given His children. This is the 30th day of Nov. 1887. It has been some colder the last few days so as to freeze a little and cause the trees to shed their leaves. Dec. 1, 1887. I went to fast meeting; and went to Johns and ate dinner; and my wife stepped off the porch and her knee gave way and she fell; and today, Dec. 2nd she is not able to stand on that foot. We had a nice rain all night which was much needed Dec. 3rd. and 4th. Ther [sic] roads. Dec. 5th 1887. This is my 72nd birthday. And I am as well as I have been for years, only I am weak and cannot work long at a time, but have to rest often; but my stomach is [in] good order since I have entirely left off eating hog meat, and all kinds of narcotics. The weather is quite cool; it does not thaw in the shade, but is clear and pleasant; now this is Dec. 15th, 1887. The weather keeps cold and clear, and some of the folks are in St. Geo. To conference. I have been sick with a cough, but am not much better. Dec. 27th the weather keeps cold. Jan. 1st 1888. Very cold for Dixie, with some snow and a nice rain. Jan 5th. Still snowing a little. I got a letter from Lucy; her mother had a son born June 12, 1887 and called his name Lawrence , which is my 52nd grandchild. The weather is still very cold and stormy. Jan 9th My wife was taken with paralysis in her left side at midnight last night; she is speechless and as helpless as an infant. She cannot move a finger or a toe of her left hand or foot. The weather is so intensely cold that my children deemed it advisable to take us to David’s where she could be better cared for. I have two falls one on the frozen ground so that my right arm is so lame I can scarcely use it for anything. Jan. 20th. The weather is a little warmer. My wife can speak, yes, or no. She mends very slowly. Jan 23rd.. The big chair broke down and let my wife fall to the floor, but did not hurt her much. She gains but little. It is thawing; the snow is nearly gone. Feb. 1st. My wife still gains slowly. The weather is mild and Rettu [sic] is making a garden. Feb. 12th. Amanda can talk a little and can raise up in bed without help, but has no use of her left arm and leg. And my right arm and hand is very lame and painful, I have to get up from three to five times a night to see to her. Feb. 15th. Bro. Wm.. Palmer preached a big sermon on the Gathering of Israel and other subjects. He administered to my wife. She gains strength slowly. The measles and whooping caught is dying out a little but it is in some families yet. Mar. 4th 1888, My wife is stronger but her left side is no better, but is helpless. She set up some in a chair and has a good appetite. My hand and arm are very same. Our children are about over the measles. This evening Isaiah, Sen. And D. Cox came in. Mar. 5th Raining and continued for several days until the ground was well soaked, and the trees are in bloom. Mar. 13th. My wife is gaining strength but has no action in her left leg and arm, and my right arm and shoulder are painful; and I cannot work but a little while at a time. Mar. 14th and 15th and on to the 20th. We are still the same. I tried to get my vineyard trimmed but could make but little headway at it, and then Milton and Marion got at is and soon got it done. Mar. 21st. Warm and clear; Lydia’s children are down with the measles and she has the rheumatism and there are many sick at this time, Mar. 22nd and 23rd. I have got the rheumatism so as to make me lame; and my wife is still so bad that she has to be lifted and helped to dress and undress her, but she has more strength in her right limbs than she did have, and she can talk better. Mar. 24th I am so lame I can scarcely walk. The spring has come and all thing look beautiful, but the frost had cut our apricots very short. The measles is till in town, but the most of the children have had it and are well. My granddaughter Lucy Dennett took a relapse, and died on the __ day of April 1888. On the 13th of April 1888 Lydia started for Washington with her family to work in the factory. We got back home again from Rettas [sic] after staying nearly three months, and my wife if stronger, but has no use of her left limbs. The weather is quite hot. I am so weak and full of pain that I cannot work much. My right arm and shoulder is so lame that it is difficult for me to do anything, and I stay and see to my wife, who is more helpless that I am. Apr. 14th and 15th and 16th. Warm and dry. 17th Cloudy, looks like rain. We are no better. Apr. 18th and 19th. Allen put his fish here on my place. Apr. 20th. I worked on the fish box and watered my lot, but I am so weak, could scarcely keep up, and my wife is no better. The Marshals are carrying the Brethren off to prison; they have taken several from St. George. Apr. 21st. and 22nd 1888. Cops arrived and took some prisoners from Rockville, and took them to the Seat before a commission and bound them over to appear before the Grand Jury in Beaver on the 11th of May. Apr. 23rd. They came back and took Fanny Slaughter. Apr. 24th. My wife is very bad with a pain in her side, and so am I – all over, and I am hardly able to keep up and take care of her. She continued to get worse and there seemed to be no relief for her. I poulticed [sic] her side with charcoal, hops and vinegar, and she got a little easy. David got home off his mission. June 7th, 1888 My wife is some better, and I am in less pain, but we are sorely afflicted and there is a great deal of sickness in town. I have a gathering on my hand so that I cannot use it. On the 10th it broke and discharged a lot of matter, and then got better. And my wife is better. June 12th 1888. I have got my apricots dry, but only had about 12 lb., I am drying some early apples. July 4th. I staid at home and let the children go to the celebration. July 12th. It is very dry and hot until afternoon when there came a storm of rain and thunder and vivid lightening, and a whirlwind, which struck my big weeping willow and tore it all to pieces and piled it up in the yard and on the house, one big limb knocked part of the roof off, and we got a wetting; and I have moved in with Sister Daley; and my wife is getting along about as she was. She cannot use her left limbs and it is very difficult for her to talk so as to be understood . July 15th. Very warm and sultry. I am very busy drying fruit, but am not able to work hard, but I keep steady at it all the time. Sept. 2nd 1888 warm and sultry. We had to leave Sister Daley[']s to let Alfred have his own house, so the boys took their mother to David’s and I kept on drying fruit, and went down as often as I could to see her. She seemed to be getting a little better. Sept. 18th. I went down and she was so much better that I was in great hopes of her getting over he stroke. But O, how soon was all my hopes blasted, for in the afternoon she had a worse shock than the first one was for it paralyzed every part of her body, and she was speechless and unconscious from that time on until Sept. 21st 1888, a little after daylight, when she stopped breathing and her spirit was set free from the suffering which she has long endured. She never believed that she would get well, but told me she was going to her Father. But I always thot [thought] she would live many years after I was dead, and it seemed as tho[ugh] I cannot reconcile my mind. I often exclaim, O how can it be that she is dead and I am left again to mourn alone in this wicked world; but I am not felt in such a condition as I was 40 years ago, with three little children, and one of them only five days old, but I have many children who have families, and they all offer me a home and make me welcome all times, but I prefer for the present to stay at my own homely home with my two youngest children and take care of my orchard and vineyard which yields me a living, or nearly so. On the 14th of Sept. 1888 my oldest dau[ghter]. By my second wife died and left six children; they are now living with Hosea, which makes him have a big family. My health being as poor, and I had to work so steady to save my fruit that I soon fell sick also, and the weather became very cold for this climate, so I have kept my bed considerable of this winter. Feb. 4th 1889. I got a letter stating that my only brother was at the point of death, but on the 6th they wrote to say that he was better. Feb. 11th 1889 My daughter Rebecca had another daughter born, which is my 57th grandchild. I am now trying to prune my vineyard and set out some trees with the help of my children, but I can do but little. This is Feb. 13th, 1889, I have not been able to write much for several months, but now some better and my nerves more steady. Feb. 14th, 1889. Snow is fast falling today and looks like becoming another big snow; and I am here all alone; the children are over to Sarah Ann’s; her children have the chicken pox, and she needs help, and I like to be alone when I am writing. 15th still snowing it is nearly a foot deep on the level, and too wet to drift. Allen got home from the Reef last night at near midnight. 17th the snow is about 15 or 18 inch deep. 18th, 19th 20th. Very cold. 21st Begins to thaw. Feb. 22nd. The snow is going fast, but looks like storming more. I am no better and can work a little. I sold a cow to get some shoes and some clothes for the children; and some sugar, for we have no meat nor molasses to go with our bread. Feb. 23rd. I got a letter for my oldest dau; she is still no better. I am too lame to walk much. I set in the house and read and keep posted on passing events. Feb. 24th . Still snowing. I am still gaining strength slowly but cannot walk fast on account of chilblains on my feet and stiffness in my knee and hips. Feb. 25th . Rainy. Feb. 26th. Clear and pleasant. 27th and 28th I am gaining strength so I can get around and do a little at pruning my vineyard and getting ready to go to St. Geo. To work awhile in the Temple. It is almost thee years since I could go and work awhile. Mar. 1st 1889.I still keep gaining some. 2nd and 3rd. Warm and pleasant. Mar. 4th today Harrison will come in the Presidential chair. I started for St. Geo. With my son A. J. F. Stout, we got to the Berry Springs and camped. Mar. 5th We got to St. Geo. At 1 o’clock p.m. I then learned that my Bro. Hosea had died on the 3rd of Mar. He was aged 78 years 5 months and 12 days. That leaves me the only one of my mothers children living, and it places a great responsibility on me that I feel very incapable to perform, but I pray to my Father in Heaven to give me wisdom and strength to do the work required of me to do. Mar. 6th 1889 I went to the . Temple and resumed the work for the dead. 7th and 8th, continued to work in the Temple, and had a good rest, On the 10th went to meeting in the Tabernacle; heard some good preaching. On the 11th and 12th rested and did some writing and reading. The weather is warm and clear; the trees are in bloom. 13th, 14th 15th, worked for dead each day. Mar. 16th. Went to the High Priests meeting, also to the State Priesthood meeting. On the 18th conference adjourned. We had a good time and much good instruction. Mar. 19th . This is my nieces 41 birthday. I did some writing and fixing up my books. Mar. 20th, 21st, and 22nd. Ellen and I went thru the ordinances of being endowed and sealed for the dead each day on the Fiske [Fisk] record. The weather is warm and clear and the trees are in bloom and look beautiful . Mar 23rd. I got a letter from L. W. Stout, my son-in-law to let me know that his father had not attended to the adoptions of our fathers family, so I will have to do it myself. But I have no one to lead so I am left alone of all father’s and mothers children. So I must not let the work linger any longer. March 24th. I went to meeting in the Tabernacle. 25th. Dressed and read the papers. 26th Did some writing but I cannot see the rule marks on the paper. Some of the time I am as well as I have been for a long time, but my feet are so lame on account of corns and chilblains caused by them being froze some fifty years ago, that it tires me to walk. Mar. 27th. Went to the Temple; was baptized for my health, and meatly [sic] or quite for 24 dead; for Ellen R. Fisk Daley and some others then went thru the endowment for the dead. Mar. 28th. I was endowed for Lazarus Fisk, Ellen’s grandfather and we were sealed four times for the dead; and I had two dead women sealed to me. Sat. Mar 30th. I went to the Tabernacle to the meeting of the High Priests Quorum. I got a letter from David that told of the birth of another grandson, Alfred’s 9th child, and my 58th grandchild. Sun. Mar. 31st. Went to meeting and heard Bros. Branch and Woodbury preach. April 1, 1889. Got a card from Alfred and a letter from A. J. F. Stout and Sarah Ann. They are all well. April 12, 1889 I had a headache and felt bad and my feet are so sore and lame it is hard for me to walk but my prayer is that I may keep able to get to the Temple each day that they work until I can get all my work done or as much as possible., Apr. 3rd I went to the Temple and helped Ellen work for her Mother’s dead, the Tresk [sic] family; also on the 4th. Ellen went with Henderson Cox to Rockville and I worked on my record. Apr. 5th. I am no t quite as well as I have been. Apr. 6th. A little better; on the 7th I had a severe headache all day. Apr. 9th I went to the Temple and was endowed for John Chauncey and my niece, E. A. S. Cox, for Johanna Chauncey,, and we were sealed for a couple, and we were adopted for all my mother’s and father’s family - 12 of us, and Grandfather and Grandmother Stout’s children,--7 of them, but we were not adopted for our grandparents, which a source of grief to me; but that was all we were permitted to do for the present. Apr. 10th and 11th went to the Temple each day and no one to help me. I am getting my work along, but the female part is away behind. Apr. 13th. I rested and read the news. 14th. To the tabernacle and heard Thomas Hall and C. Branch preach. Apr. 15th. Did some writing . 16th I went to the Temple and was endowed for Ichabod [sic] Walcott Chauncey, whose name is on page 73, number 95 of my Temple book. A little after dark John Terry drove up with his wife and Ellen and Phoebe Daley, and my youngest daughter, went to the Temple with me and got her endowments; and Ellen and I were endowed for the dead; and Huldah and I were sealed for the dead. April 19th. I went to the Temple; and Huldah and Ellen were endowed for the dead, and Phoebe got her own endowments. I and H. J. F. S. were sealed for three couples. Apr. 20th I rested. Apr.,. 21st. We went to the Tabernacle and heard some good preaching. On the 22nd. I prepared some names to be baptized for. Apr. 23rd. I helped Ellen by being endowed for Alec Montgomery and helped her seal him to his wife. I also got Bro. Alpin [sic] to be baptized for 7 dead. April 24th I was endowed for Horace Houghton, of Ellen’s record and we were sealed for them. On the 25th I was endowed for Hamilton L. Rann. Of E. R. D.’s record,. The weather is getting hot. Warren has got back from Milford. Apr. 26th. I went to the High Priests meeting and heard J. G. Bleak lecture on Priesthood, a very resting lecture,. Apr. 28th Went to the Tabernacle where we heard some good preaching. On the 29th read the papers and rested myself. On the 30th went to the Tabernacle where we had a good time celebrating the 100th anniversary of Geo. Washington’s inauguration as the First President of the United States May 1st 1889. I went to the Temple and was endowed for my cousin Amasa Stout. On the 2nd I went to Temple and was endowed for Tilman [sic] Smith , Son and Huldah was endowed for his wife, and we were sealed for them, and another couple; and I got the second anointings [sic] for Norman Ingles Bliss, and his wife; Eliza. Ann Stout Cox was anointed for his wife Lydia Mariah Fiske Stout my daughter, and also for my sister Lydia to Artemes Millett, Sen. 3rd. I had a back ache for several days; but on the 4th. I went to meeting and heard A. Whitehead preach. I am very weak and trembly [sic] with severe pain in my head and neck. May 7th. I went to the Temple and was endowed for John Brown Fiske who was drowned in the Black Sea,. On the 10th went to the Temple and was endowed for Amos Fiske, page 95, No. 19; and we were sealed for Nicholas Pool and Mary Chauncy [sic] on page 678, No. 64. May 11th I rested but I had a severe head ache which has continued for many days. Sun. May 12th. I went to meeting; heard H. Burton and others from Salt Lake preach. Mon. 13th. I still suffer with the headache. On the 14th we went to the Temple and was endowed and sealed for Mr. and Mrs. Leonard, Uncle Peter Stouts wife’s father and mother. May 15th. I was endowed for Uncle Isaac and wife’s father, and we were sealed for them and Chauncey Pool and wife; Miss Lydia H. J. F. Stout acting for the women. May 16th, 1889 H.J.F. Stout and I were endowed and sealed for Mr. and Mrs. Long, Aunts Sarah Stout parents. May 17th We went and worked in the Temple, which is the 260th day I have been endowed for the dead; but it is hard work for me now I am so feeble and it hurts me so to walk. May 18th, 1889 was all I could do to set up, so I laid in bed some of the time. On the 19th I went and heard Samuel Adams preach, and was so lame that I could hardly get back home. May 20th 1889, I rested and tried to get ready for tomorrow work. I am so tired all the time. May 21st. I walked to the Temple and was endowed for John Conant, and got Sister Dougal to be baptized for three dead women. My daughter not available to go today. May 22nd. I was anointed for John Sagers, by D. H. Cannon and Sister Dougal for his wife. I am feeling better; the weather is clear and warm. May 23rd—I and Huldah went and were sealed for John Conant and Benjamin Fiske page 105; and I was endowed for Jeremiad Clark, page 71. May 24th I was endowed for Jeremiah Guernsey on page 95 and we were sealed for Matthew Robb,. May 27th, 1889 Very warm the last three days. May 28th worked in the temple, was baptized five times. May 29th 1889 We were endowed and sealed for Gabriel and Rebecca Baker, Rebecca was a cousin of ours. May 30th Huldah and I were endowed and sealed for James Watson and Peggy Smith, who Aunt James sister; I was bound to him when I was 14 years old. May 31st 1889 I was endowed for Wm. Fiske, of Ellen’s record Huldah started home by way of Tremble, so I am here alone of nights, but can get all the help I need. June 1st, 2nd and 3rd, 1889 I rested, my feet being so lame that I did not go to meeting, which I wanted to do very much. June 4th. I was endowed for Thomas McClure. June 5th I was endowed for Chauncey Allen Goodrich, and then started with J. Allred for home. We staid at O. Adams, Harrisburg. June 7th We got to Virgin City, On the 8th I got home at noon very tired. June 9th Sunday - I went to meeting. 10th I am rested a little. Julia Cox had a son born at 8 o’clock a.m. I’ll write today; I am very weak; I cannot work to do any good so I to quit and lets things go to rack or go without seeing to it. I am so broke out with the heat that it looks like measles. This is the 19th. I am not working for I have no strength to do but little, so I go around among my children and read the news. June 23rd 1889, Huldah and I commenced to dry fruit and it will take us three months to get done, but I shall let some out on the halves for I cannot do but little. Sat. June 29th 1889 We have put out apples and apricots—all we could this week, and got some help, Ellen and George Anna have helped some. This closed June 29th, 1889------Allen
Joseph Stout died Dec. 1889. |
|
|
Julie Bliss Hammons
Santa Clara, Utah
relativebliss@hotmail.com